Kano: Stop Impugning Judiciary’s Integrity, Youth Coalition Warns NNPP

A coalition of youth groups, Nigerian Youths in Politics (NYP), has cautioned the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its administration in Kano State against using every avenue to impugn the integrity of the judiciary.

It asked the party to blame itself for its self-inflicted woes and willful negligence of the Electoral Law about candidates’ nomination.

The coalition implored the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to sanction the Kano State Attorney General for making unfounded allegation and unprofessional statement regarding the recent verdict of the Appeal Court in Kano state.

President of the coalition, Comrade Magaji Alidu, who spoke during a press conference on Sunday in Abuja said Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his party, the NNPP, took for granted a very important aspect of the electoral process and must be punished for their negligence.

He said, “Contrary to the ongoing bastardization of the Nigerian judiciary by some aggrieved persons who lost at the tribunal and the Appeal Court as a result of non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, as amended, we wish to state that the court did not act ultra vires when it held that Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf was not a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP as of the time the party sponsored him as its governorship candidate in Kano State.

“We agree that the tribunal strengthened democracy by deducting the uncertified ballot papers which were neither signed nor stamped by the electoral officers presiding during the poll as stipulated by law. The Electoral Act 2022, as amended, in Article 63 Sub Section 2 captures it.

“Section 177, Sub-Section C of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, states that one must be a registered member of a political party and be sponsored by the same political party to be qualified to contest for the office of a Governor of a State.

“This is to show that those who jump from one political party to the other in a bid to secure tickets must also be careful because there is a judicial precedent to that effect.

 The case of Abba Yusuf is not the first, and neither will it be the last. In the case of Senator Hope Uzodinma vs Uche Nwosu, the Supreme Court had established precedence on membership of a political party and the sponsorship of a candidate.

“Therefore, believing that blackmailing the judiciary may lead to subversion of justice is not true. The Supreme Court is a constitutional court that deals primarily with points of law.

“We wish to warn political actors especially those who know the law but are trying to bend it because it does not favor them that, the judiciary is a sacred institution that must not be undermined”.

The coalition expressed dismay that the Attorney General of Kano State who is a lawyer also joined in the bastardization of the image of the Justices who delivered judgment on the Kano State governorship appeal.

“Such action is highly unprofessional and requires immediate sanctions by the Nigeria Bar Association NBA to retain the integrity of the legal profession.”