Why Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf Lost In Court

The Abuja Court of Appeal recently nullified the election of Governor Abba Yusuf in the Kano State governorship election held on March 18.

A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Moore A. Adumein, upheld the appeal of Nasir Yusuf Gawuna from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court listed several reasons for the nullification of the Kano Governor:

Reasons for Nullification:

1. Party Membership Ineligibility:
   The court determined that the ex-Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), was not a registered member of the party and, therefore, ineligible to contest the election.
2. Lack of Membership Register Submission:
   Emphasizing the importance of maintaining a membership register, the court noted that Yusuf failed to submit his NNPP membership register or provide a sworn statement regarding his party membership.
3. Constitutional Mandate:
   The court underscored that the 1999 Constitution mandates political parties to have a membership register and submit it to INEC and the Tribunal when necessary.

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had initially declared Gawuna as the winner, overturning INEC's announcement of Yusuf's victory.

Upon finding merit in the APC's claim of electoral malpractices, the tribunal reduced Yusuf's votes by 165,663 to 853,939, while Gawuna's 890,705 votes remained unaffected.