Election Observers under the aegis of Coalition of INEC-accredited observer organizations (foreign and domestic), who worked in Kano during the March 18th election has cautioned against tempering the victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, Director General, Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness during a press conference in Abuja on Monday said, they were dismayed and shocked at the Tribunal’s ruling concerning the disqualification of the Governor of Kano State as a member of the NNPP.
According to him, the matter is well known to all and sundry as a pre-election matter for which the tribunal had no jurisdiction, and besides, because it is a pre-election matter, the matter has been overtaken by events.
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He added that the nullification of over one hundred and sixty-five thousand valid votes, which was an integral part of the power exercised by the electorates as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended, has never been seen before in the history of Nigeria, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel said.
The coalition said, “We wish to state unequivocally that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaration of All. Abba Kabir Yusuf as the winner of Kano 2023 governorship election is consistent and synonymous to their observation and a true representation of votes cast on the 18th of March, 2023.
“We wish to advise the political elites in Kano State and Nigeria at large to shield their swords and allow the people’s votes to count. Kano State is a cosmopolitan city in Nigeria; therefore, igniting issues capable of causing breakdowns of law and order would not be in the interest of the Nigerian nation.
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“The present situation in Kano could deteriorate even further if not treated with the utmost caution and urgency. The judiciary is said to be the hope of the common man. We hereby advise that care should be taken in Kano State to resolve the present judicial process with the utmost caution. Let us allow the NNPP, which is the party that truly won the March 18, 2023, governorship election, to serve the people of Kano, he added.
Notable personalities present during the conference include Dr. (Mrs.) Eno Udensi, Head of Mission, PAN African Women Project, South Africa; Mr. Tunde Bafunsho, CEO, Justice and Equity Sustenance and Mr. Stafford Bisong, International Leadership Initiative.