18th November, 2023
By Adeyemi Adeleye
The founder of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Boniface Aniebonam has faulted the decision of the Court of Appeal to uphold the judgment of the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that sacked Kabir Abba Yusuf as the governor of Kano State.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices on Friday, held that Yusuf was not a valid candidate in the gubernatorial election that was held in the state on March 18.
The justices had consequently declared Nasiru Gawuna of the APC winner of the March 18, 2023, Kano state governorship election.
But Aniebonam described the Appeal Court ruling as a rude shock to the NNPP noting that he believed that only the party could determine who its members are and not the court.
“Again a rude shock to me hearing the verdict of the appeal court in Abuja against the governor of Kano state, Abba Yusuf of NNPP.
“I do know that it is only the NNPP and its members that can determine who is a member of the party.
“I also know that a party and its members can bring into the party, and grant such a person a waiver to go into election and represent the party in an election.
“I also know and believe that it is only someone who contested nomination under NNPP that can challenge the membership of the party in an election.
“To the contrary, no other person has the right to object,” Aniebonam said in a statement on Saturday.
He, however, said that the NNPP still believed that justice would not only be done but seen to have been done.
The founder said: “Our hope is alive ahead of the Supreme Court judgment in due time.
“I hereby encourage all members of our great party and indeed the indigenes of Kano in particular to keep faith with the final decision of God under these avoidable circumstances.”
In the epochal judgment on Friday, the Appeal Court justices stated that proof of evidence that was tendered before the court established that the governor was not a member of the NNPP, as at the time the election was held.
Sponsorship without membership is like putting something on nothing,” the appellate court held in its lead judgment that was delivered by Justice M. U. Adumeh.
Consequently, the appellate court declared Nasiru Gawuna of the APC winner of the March 18, 2023 Kano state governorship election.
(NAN)