Ahead of today’s Supreme Court judgement on the governorship election in the state, tension is mounting as many people in the commercial city are unsure where the pendulum of victory would swing between New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, and All Progressives Congress, APC Nasir Gawuna.
The Supreme Court, had on Thursday disclosed that it would rule in the appeal filed by the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, challenging the verdict of the Court of Appeal and the State Election Petitions Tribunal, which removed him from office on Friday.
A panel of five justices of the apex court led by Justice John Okoro made the decision after the parties in the matter made their final arguments to the court.
But few hours before the apex court decides on the petition brought by Governor Abba Yusuf, sources in the state said uneasy calm exist in the state, as supporters of APC and ANPP are anticipating that the judgment would be in their favour.
The two political parties have been trading words since last December after the Supreme Court reserved judgment in the governorship contest.
Among other allegations, the ANPP and APC have accused each other of trying to induce the justices of the nation’s apex court to get favourable judgment.
Analysts however informed the magazine that the weight of evidence is against the ruling party in the state, but that the supreme court verdict could go either way.
To underscore the level of tension in the state, the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, said yesterday that it is prepared to deal with troublemakers who may want to capitalise on the judgment of the apex court to destabilise the state.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, the state Commissioner of Police Mohammad Husaini Gumel said the Command has put in place all necessary machineries to ensure adequate protection of lives and property ,as well as guaranteeing free movements and conduct of hitch free business activities.
Gumel noted that the State Police Command will be partnering with sister security agencies to achieve its objective of maintaining peace and security of the commercial nerve center of the North .
According to him, all the 44 Local Councils of the State have been sufficiently captured in the wider security arrangements put in place, promising that all Divisional Heads of the Police formations in the State are ready to provide enough security for all residents.
”Enough security personnel and equipment have been mobilsed to all flash points including party offices , Government House ,INEC state headquarters ,Banks and commercial areas ,mosque churches and recreation facilities across the state,’ Gumel said.
Last September, the tribunal nullified the victory of Yusuf, the NNPP in the March 18 governorship election.
The tribunal also affirmed Gawuna of the APC as the duly elected governor of Kano.
On November 13, the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict of the tribunal.
Governor Yusuf later proceeded to the Supreme Court to seek redress on the issue.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
