INEC withdraws appeal against Kano Governorship Tribunal Ruling

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has withdrawn its appeal against the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal ruling that sacked Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

In a letter dated October 6, 2023 and signed by Suleiman Alkali, the head of the commission’s legal department in Kano, INEC said it withdrew its appeal as it had no reason to appeal any judgement.

“I have been instructed by the Commission headquarters that INEC as an umpire have no reason to appeal any judgment,” the letter read.

“Consequently, the National Commission In charge if Legal Services and National Commissioner in charge of Kano zone directed that the appeal be withdrawn and all processes for all Appeals should be forwarded to the Kano Office.”

Recall that on September 20, 2023, a 3-member panel of the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sacked Governor Abba Yusuf and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the APC as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.

The tribunal deducted 165,663 votes from Mr Yusuf’s as invalid, stating that the ballot papers (165,663) were not stamped or signed and therefore declared invalid.

The electoral commission had earlier filed a 33-ground appeal against the judgement, saying the trial tribunal erred in law by declaring the candidate of the petitioner, who is not party to the case, as the winner of the election.