In a demonstration of solidarity and a plea for justice, supporters of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, gathered at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday. The peaceful protest aimed to underscore their demands for the maintenance of the status quo in Kano State after recent developments in the gubernatorial election.
The Court of Appeal recently affirmed the judgment of the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which overturned Yusuf’s victory and declared Nasiru Gawuna, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election. This decision has sparked protests in Kano, with reported discrepancies in the certified true copy of the Court of Appeal judgment adding fuel to the unrest.
In Ibadan, Yusuf’s supporters marched through the streets carrying placards with messages such as ‘Justice for Kano,’ ‘Kano Abba Muka Zaba,’ ‘Abba is our Choice,’ and ‘Kano voted for Abba.’ They cautioned the judiciary against actions that could potentially trigger a crisis in Kano and other parts of the country.
Speaking to the media in Ibadan, Ahmad Sawaba, the Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Wildlife Preservation, called on the Supreme Court to thoroughly examine the judgments and ensure justice is served. He emphasized that the people of Kano had elected Yusuf, and the judiciary should respect the electorate’s wishes.
Sawaba expressed concern about the evident discrepancy between the Justices’ pronouncements in court and the Certified True Copy, stating, “The governor has been duly elected by the peace-loving people of Kano State, and as a result, the judiciary should respect their votes. We don’t want Kano State and any other parts of the country to be turned into a theatre of war. We are peace-loving people.”
Highlighting the fear of potential attacks on the Yoruba community in Kano following the protests, Sawaba urged the Supreme Court judges to justify the confidence reposed in them and ensure a fair resolution of the electoral dispute to maintain peace in Kano and beyond.