The Chairman, Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, Hashimu Dungurawa has kicked against the judgment delivered by the Appeal Court against Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Recall a three-member panel of the court held that the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) breached the constitution by sponsoring Yusuf who was not a member of the party.
The panel upheld the judgement delivered by the tribunal which sacked Yusuf on September 20.
The tribunal had declared 165,663 votes of Yusuf, who contested under the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), invalid on the grounds that they were not signed or stamped by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The governor’s votes were then reduced to 853,939 while those of Nasir Ganuwa, his All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, remained at 890,705.
The judgment delivered at the Appeal Court in Abuja on Friday had sacked Governor Yusuf on the ground that he was not a valid or card-carrying member of the party.
While countering the judgment, Dungurawa said the verdict shows democracy is gradually coming to an end in the country if the judiciary can nullify the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which recognized Yusuf as the party candidate, declared him the winner of the election and handed him a certificate of return.
When asked whether Governor Yusuf is a card-carrying member of the party, Dungurawa said, “It is INEC that is in a better position to tell you that, because this man purchased his form from INEC, he filled and returned it back. And the same INEC declared him the winner after polling the highest number of total votes and was given the certificate of return.
Speaking further, Dungurawa said as a party, they are totally rejecting the judgment and have appealed to their supporters to remain calm and be law-abiding.
“And we are going to take it to the next level where I think we have people of high integrity. And justice will be done because if this continues to happen in our courts, there is a danger.
“We urge the judges to fear God and know that there is hereafter. They should not monetize or sell their integrity,” Dungurawa added.
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