Concerned by what they termed “contradictory verdict” by the Appeal Court on the Kano State 2023 gubernatorial polls, lawyers from the 19 states of Northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) converged on Kaduna and declared support for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The lawyers, who assembled on the platform of Abba Kabir Yusuf Volunteer Lawyers Forum From The 19 – Northern States and Abuja, described the Appeal Court judgement as a clear miscarriage of Justice.
Speaking on behalf of the lawyers at a press conference at Arewa House in Kaduna State, Barrister Yusuf Ado Ibrahim urged President Bola Tinubu and the Supreme Court not to allow Nigeria to become a one-party state because it will be unhealthy for democracy.
Ibrahim urged the president and the judiciary to respect the rule of law and resist the temptation to operate a one party system in Nigeria.
He also demanded a reworking of the Electoral Act, stressing, “It is pertinent to state here that the Electoral Act needs a holistic reworking in order to address these anomalies of our judicial system and democracy, if we must save it.
“Pre-election matters must be seen to be addressed as no longer litigable issues after the winner of an election has been declared.
“The attempts by the Court to conclude upon their findings to declare politicians as winners must also be divested of such powers. At best, order a re-run in the affected areas. The dangers are that, if this trends should proceed without checkmate, then there would no longer be need for open balloting and casting of votes by the general electorate as their mandate would be taken over by those who know the “rules of the game” and of course, it will no longer be a matter of who won the election at the general voting posts.
“The issues are too numerous to mention. But we are all seated here believing in the strong will of a free and fair judicial system. We believe honestly in the powers of true democratic system and are still optimistic in the judicial system so much so that we admit the fallibility of our justices as humans. We are hopeful that the apex Court would do the right thing devoid of any sentiments and paying able and competent attention to happenings of the just delivered judgments.
“It is our optimism that the lot of the common man in Kano State will be protected and the yearnings of our people respected.
We strongly believe that the Apex Court will do justice by affirming and categorically stating that the duly elected governor of Kano State is His Excellency Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, whose adequate votes were casted by the populist approval of the people of Kano State.
“And on this hope, we volunteer as private legal practitioner across the 19 Northern states of this country to participate in solidarity for His Excellency Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, to represent the Truth in the fight to reclaim his mandate and that of the people of Kano State,” he said.
