Kano Governor-elect Not Qualified, APC Tells Tribunal

All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kano state, has asked the state election petition tribunal to nullify the election of Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor-elect of the state on the ground of non-qualification to contest the election.

The party in its petition said Yusuf, elected on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), was not a member of the party as at the time the election was conducted.

It said a political party can only sponsor a person who is its member for the elective office of governor of Kano and a person who is not a member of the political party that claims to sponsor him for election is not qualified to contest election to the office of governor.

The party said Yusuf was not validly and duly nominated by his party, NNPP before being presented as it’s candidate for the election.

The APC urged the tribunal to set aside his election and declared its candidate, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, as the winner of the election having scored the highest number of votes.

The petitioner said, “In Part A of the INEC Form EC 9 – Affidavit of Personal Particular of the 2nd respondent submitted to the 1st Respondent reflects that the membership number of the 2nd respondent is NNPP/HQ/KN/GWL/DS/001.  No such number is contained in the 3rd Respondent’s (NNPP) register of members. The plan of the 2nd Respondent (Yusuf) to provide a conscripted membership card is a failed attempt to claim membership of the 3rd Respondent in order to mislead the 1st respondent (INEC) that the 2nd respondent possessed the constitutional qualification to contest the election into the office of the governor of Kano State, while indeed he was not qualified to contest the election, being not a member of the political party that sponsored his election.

 “Your petitioner says that the Affidavit of personal Particulars wherein the 2nd Respondent claims membership of the 3rd Respondent as Member No. NNPP/HQ/KN/GWL/DISO/001 is a false certificate because no such membership number or name exists in the Register of the 3rd Respondent.”

The party said the 3rd respondent could not have validly sponsored the 2nd Respondent, who, not being a registered member or a person whose name is on the register of members of the 3rd Respondent, submitted to the 1st Respondent before the primary election of the 3rd Respondent in compliance with the relevant provision of the Electoral Act, 2022.

 “The petitioner avers that the 2nd respondent, not being a registered member of the 3rd Respondent, could not validly have been sponsored by the 3rd Respondent as its candidate for Kano State Governorship Elections held on March 18, 2023. The membership Number stated in Part A of the said INEC EC 9 are not those of the 2nd Respondent nor does he have any at any point material in time to the fact of this petition.

 “The petitioner contends that all the votes 1,019,602 votes recorded for the 2nd and 3rd Respondents on Saturday 18th March, 2023 in respect thereof are null, void and wasted votes; as the 2nd Respondent is/was not qualified to contest the said election in the first place.

 “That the petitioner’s candidate is, therefore, entitled to be declared the winner of the election, being the candidate with the highest number of lawful votes cast, 890,705 votes in the Kano State Governorship Election as shown in the table below and who has satisfied the constitutional requirements.

 “The 2nd respondent was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election”, the party said.