“In spite of the pronouncements by the Courts, we must never forget that Governor Abba Yosuf’s Party won in 2019 but were denied the victory. Now in 2023, the same scenario is unfolding which is already being met with resistance.”
The Concerned Yoruba Community in Kano has warned of the dangers inherent in sacking the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf who the Community says clearly won the election.
Yusuf, the New Nigeria People Party, NNPC, was declared the winner in the March 18, 2023 Governorship Election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. But both the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal sacked Yusuf in favour of the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Nasiru Gawuna.
The judgement of the Court of Appeal, in particular, has ran into troubled waters as it was contradictory in some places. While it pronounced that that the APC Candidate, Gawuna won, what was captured in the Certified True Copy of the judgment is that Abba Yusuf remains the duly elected Governor, and his victory affirmed. Indeed, Gawuna and his party were fined the sum of N1,000,000.
Not a few people and groups have shouted foul and dismissed the Court judgment as fraudulent.
One of the groups is the Concerned Yoruba Community in Kano which has dismissed the Court judgment as foul, and insisted that Yusuf won the Election.
At a Press Conference it addressed in Kano Thursday, the Community said that the lives of the Yoruba in Kano are presently endangered because Kano indigenes think that they are being cheated out of their eletoral victory because the Nigerian President is Yoruba.
They also insist that the crisis in Kano over the election “has a strong relationship with political elite interference in the political results and mandate so obviously given to Abba Kabir Yusuf by the citizens of the State.”
They warned President Bola Tinubu to look beyond politics and allow the right thing to take its course. They warned: “Kano must not be allowed to burn on the altar of political expediency or interest, or calculation towards 2027 for that matter. We must face the truth!
“In spite of the pronouncements by the Courts, we must never forget that Governor Abba Yusuf’s party won in 2019 but were denied the victory. Now, in 2023, the same scenario is unfolding which is already being met with resistance.”
Just so the Yoruba are not the victims, the Yoruba Community called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo and their prominent Traditional Rulers to talk to President Tinubu to listen and look beyond what he is being told.
“For our interest, the Yoruba in Kano, we are using thus platform to call on our leading Obas and leaders to come to our assistance by engaging President Bola Tinubu on the Political situation in Kano. The average man already believes that the Judiciary has been interfered with”, the Community said.
Following is the full text of the Press Conference addressed by the Chairman, Concerned Yoruba Community, Kano Chapter, Alhaji Nuradden Yahaya, and the National Youths Coordinator, Yoruba Community Northern States and Abuja, Taofeek Olalekan Olaosebikan at Dallas Hotel, Sabongari, Kano.
“Gentlemen of the Press, we warmly welcome you all to this press conference which we have called to address some crucial issues as they affect us in relation to the prevailing political situation in Kano since the Appeal Court sacked the state Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf.
“Of course, you are all living witnesses to the whole developments which are clearly suggesting ill-winds because of the anticipated threat to peace and stability in the state.
“Importantly, we the Yoruba in Kano have been here long enough to articulate and appreciate the political tendencies here and implications for our common good. For the record, many of us were born and raised in Kano, indeed, we have become “Kano indigenes” in some strategic sense. This is our home as we have come to acknowledge and appreciate our stay in Kano and indeed our economic sustenance, wellbeing and development. Our children are doing fine in schools here as well as many of different ages engaged in one activity or the other. So Kano is our home and we are happy being here.
“THE UNFOLDING POLITICAL SITUATION:
“For one, we know the political tradition here in Kano and the issues surrounding such positions. In the case of the last election cycle in Kano, we know how the election went and the outright winners compared to the losers. And this is our major concern right now. It is some form of Deja Vu! We are very worried that the unfolding political situation will have adverse effects on us the Yoruba in Kano. History is there to enlighten us better. Kano is a very volatile state politically and this is the reason why all men and women of goodwill should be concerned about the situation in Kano and rally round towards a collective initiative to save the state from any calamity which will affect us and our livelihood.
“In this regard. we are using this platform to call on all Youruba Obas and leaders of thought to wade into the Kano situation without further delay by engaging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a possible political settlement of the Kano logjam.
“Kano must not be allowed to erupt into such preventable chaos as it happened in the past. Of course, many enlightened minds believe very strongly that what we are witnessing in Kano today has a strong relationship with political elite interference in the political results and mandate so obviously given to Abba Kabir Yusuf by the citizens of the state. There must thus be an elite formation to quickly come together and talk with Mr. President so that he sees beyond whatever briefing he is getting on Kano by vested interests within and outside his party, and act as a statesman! It is clear to all that the NNPP won the state. Take a look at the results across board. 2 senators out of 3, 18 rep members out of 24, and 26 out of 40 assembly members. Is it the same people who voted this way that will accept a situation where the Governor they elected is removed by some technicality? The answer is a resounding NO!
“Kano must not be allowed to burn on the altar of political expediency or interest, or calculation towards 2027 for that matter. We must face the truth!
“In spite of the pronouncements by the courts, we must never forget that Governor Abba Yusuf’s party, won in 2019 but were denied the victory. Now in 2023, the same scenario is unfolding which is already being met with resistance.
“For our interest, the Yoruba in Kano, we are using this platform to call on our leading obas and leaders to come to our assistance by engaging President Bola Tinubu on the political situation in Kano. The average man already believes that the judiciary has been interfered with. We are hereby calling on our fathers, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, to intervene without further delay.
“We are also calling on the Oba of Lagos, Alake of Egba, Awujale of Ijebuland, Olubadan of Ibadan and other Yoruba leading lights to come to our aid as we won’t find it easy if the situation degenerates further as we actually expect that it would. The people here will believe that they were cheated on by a Yoruba President. That is the word going round now. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.
“Gentlemen of the press. we thank you all for your attention
“Alhaji Nuraddeen Yahaya
Chairman, Concerned Yoruba Community, Kano State Chapter
“Comrade Taofeek Olalekan Olaosebikan
National Youths Coordinator
Yoruba Community Northern States and Abuja”
For now, Kano State is gripped by tension and the people live in fear of the unknown as both supporters of both the NNPC and the APC are threatening fire and brimstone. The Military and other Security Agencies have taken over the State, especially, the capital city.
Meanwhile, Governor Yusuf and the NNPP have approached the Supreme Court for a possible reversal of the Court of Appeal judgement.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
