On Friday, the Supreme Court overturned an Abuja Court of Appeal decision that declared Kano State Governor Kabir Yusuf’s election null and void.
A five-judge panel has now unanimously ruled that the lower court misinterpreted the apparent deduction of 165,616 ballot papers in favor of Governor Yusuf.
Justice Inyang Okoro’s lead ruling further stated that the issue of Governor Yusuf’s membership was a pre-election matter.
He claimed that the determination that Governor Yusuf was not sponsored by the NNPP under Section 177(c) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 134(1) of the Electoral Act was not a finding of the electoral tribunal, but rather a mere observation that his name was not included in the list.
“This court has consistently maintained that the issue of nomination or sponsorship of a candidate for an election is completely an exclusive prerogative of the political party,” he held.
