The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Democracy, CCSOD, has called on the Supreme Court justices not to succumb to pressure as it plans to deliver judgment on the Kano state governorship election.
The civil society body alleges that the ruling party in the state, New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP is trying to force the apex court to deliver judgment in its favour.
The group has therefore appealed to the justices in the court not to capitulate under NNPP pressure.
The Court of Appeal last month affirmed the verdict of the State Election Petition Tribunal which declared Nasir Gawuna, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the February 28 governorship election.
Following the verdict, the state has remained tense, particularly after Abba Yusuf, the governor of the state and candidate of the NNPP challenged the verdict at the Supreme Court.
Some members of the NNPC in the state have also protested against the Appeal Court judgment claiming their party had been robbed of victory during the poll.
They have warned of serious consequences if the Supreme Court affirms the lower court verdict.
Reacting, OEniola Enaife, the National Secretary of the civil society body told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that a former governor of the state, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso is responsible for the violent protest in the state, which he said was meant to blackmail the court. The apex court must not fall for such, he said.
Enaife said the former governor should be called to order as he alongside his party are walking the nation through a dangerous path.
He called for the arrest of Kwakwanso, who, he claimed is planning to lead members of the party to occupy the Supreme Court and other foreign missions in the country.
According to him, “This act is against the tenets of democracy hence we in the Coalition for Democracy have come out to speak and act according to the rule of law. We demand immediate arrest of the Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso now to stabilise the State.
“For us as coalition, we are working voluntarily with other prominent CSOs both in Kano state and around the country to gather intelligence around the key leaders of NNPP, APC, PDP and Labour Party in Kano State in the interest of peace and tranquility of the state and Nigeria. We shall not hesitate to raise alarm whenever we notice any sinister move to cause trouble before and after the judgement of the Supreme Court regarding the Kano Governorship election.
“Therefore, we restate the call for the arrest of key leaders of Kwankwasiyya Movement and some sympathisers of Governor Abba Yusuf, who are bent on causing trouble if the outcome of Supreme Court do not favour them. The Attorney General of Kano State
“We also call on the Supreme Court Justices not to be intimidated by the threat of this red-cap wearing group as the majority of Kano people are in support of the earlier verdicts of the Tribunal and the Appeal Court.”
The magazine has been reliably informed that the apex court will deliver judgment before the end of the year.
