Kano Guber: Yusuf closes case as SSG confirms NNPP membership
Proceedings in the Kano State Governor's Election Petitions Court took on a new dimension yesterday when Kano State Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf closed his case with only one witness against the number of previously listed witnesses.
Recall that the second and third defendants, the Governor and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have listed 450 witnesses in court to defend their victory against the petitioner, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The petitioner challenges the first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for declaring Yusuf the winner of the March 18, 2023 ballot for state governor. The APC is asking the court to overturn Yusuf's victory as he was not a duly registered member of the NNPP as his name was not on the NNPP membership register submitted to the INEC prior to the election.When the court resumed yesterday, Yusuf's witness, who is the Secretary of State Government (SSG), Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, claimed that the governor was a bona fide member of the party.
Earlier, the attorney for the governor, R.A Lawal (SAN) presented the evidence that the witness gave under oath, where the witness said that Yusuf won the election for governor, having obtained 1,019,602 votes against his nearest rival, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who obtained 890,705 votes.
“The second defendant is a bona fide member of NNPP with registration number: NNPP/HQ/KN/GWL/DS/001. (SAN), asked the witness to confirm in court that he acted as the state return agent for the second (Yusuf) and third (NNPP) sponsors during the state collation at INEC headquarters, Kano. Offiong also asked the witness to confirm the photos of the NNPP party agents on the documents presented to the court.
"I acted as an election agent for the second and third respondents, at the headquarters of the state of the INEC, and not to the local council. Inec return agents gathered the results of all local councils in the centers of the State coalition." As a statement of the State, I received the summaries which were read by the state of the state of the election of the Governor of the Governor. The results are only relevant to me as a party agent if and when the INEC poll agent had accepted them as a full reflection of the result of the gubernatorial election of that particular local council. “I was at the INEC Headquarters as the NNPP State Return Agent to protect the interests of the NNPP and its gubernatorial candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to ensure that the INEC, its leadership and its staff substantially adhere to the constitution of the electoral law and the guidelines for the election. And I am fully satisfied that INEC and all its staff from my experience at the snack center have substantially complied,” noted Bichi. The three-man panel headed by Judge Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay adjourned the case until July 24, for the third defendant to open his defense.
Proceedings in the Kano State Governor's Election Petitions Court took on a new dimension yesterday when Kano State Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf closed his case with only one witness against the number of previously listed witnesses.
Recall that the second and third defendants, the Governor and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have listed 450 witnesses in court to defend their victory against the petitioner, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The petitioner challenges the first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for declaring Yusuf the winner of the March 18, 2023 ballot for state governor. The APC is asking the court to overturn Yusuf's victory as he was not a duly registered member of the NNPP as his name was not on the NNPP membership register submitted to the INEC prior to the election.When the court resumed yesterday, Yusuf's witness, who is the Secretary of State Government (SSG), Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, claimed that the governor was a bona fide member of the party.
Earlier, the attorney for the governor, R.A Lawal (SAN) presented the evidence that the witness gave under oath, where the witness said that Yusuf won the election for governor, having obtained 1,019,602 votes against his nearest rival, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who obtained 890,705 votes.
“The second defendant is a bona fide member of NNPP with registration number: NNPP/HQ/KN/GWL/DS/001. (SAN), asked the witness to confirm in court that he acted as the state return agent for the second (Yusuf) and third (NNPP) sponsors during the state collation at INEC headquarters, Kano. Offiong also asked the witness to confirm the photos of the NNPP party agents on the documents presented to the court.
"I acted as an election agent for the second and third respondents, at the headquarters of the state of the INEC, and not to the local council. Inec return agents gathered the results of all local councils in the centers of the State coalition." As a statement of the State, I received the summaries which were read by the state of the state of the election of the Governor of the Governor. The results are only relevant to me as a party agent if and when the INEC poll agent had accepted them as a full reflection of the result of the gubernatorial election of that particular local council. “I was at the INEC Headquarters as the NNPP State Return Agent to protect the interests of the NNPP and its gubernatorial candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to ensure that the INEC, its leadership and its staff substantially adhere to the constitution of the electoral law and the guidelines for the election. And I am fully satisfied that INEC and all its staff from my experience at the snack center have substantially complied,” noted Bichi. The three-man panel headed by Judge Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay adjourned the case until July 24, for the third defendant to open his defense.
What's Your Reaction?
