Testrun of “righteous violence” as protests rock Kano over Appeal Court’s contradictory judgment on Gov Yusuf’s election victory
*Today’s protests are a testrun, security can’t stop us when we start – Voters
By OUR REPORTER
Protests rocked Kano State, on Wednesday, following the Court of Appeal’s Friday November 17 judgment that, first on Friday November 17, 2023 upheld the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal judgment of September 20 sacking the state Governor, Engr Abba Yusuf, while declaring the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Yusuf Nasiru Gawuna, as governor in the March 18 poll.
The appellate court had however reversed itself albeit with contradictions as its Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment was finally released on Tuesday, fivevdays after the judgment and 24 hours afterbthe New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), whose candidate it sacked, cried out that it was yetbto releasebthe CTC of ruling for him to proceed to Supreme Court.
When released, the CTC revealed that the appellate court actually set aside the judgment of the Tribunal while affirming that Engr Abba Yusuf of the NNPP was right declared winner and validly elected as governor.
The DEFENDER recalls that a three-member appeal panel of the court, led by Justice M. U. Adumeh on Friday November 17, was further shown on Tuesday as awarding a N1 million fine in favour of Governor Yusuf against the APC.
The protests followed the discovery of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the appeal court judgement which had not only caused confusion in the state but had further placed a great deal of integrity questions on institutions of state including the INEC on its ability to give to Nigeria a credible election process and the courts ability to any longer deliver justice.
The protesters, who marched through the Dan Agundi area of the state, chanted solidarity songs and demanded justice on the matter.
They were, however, dispersed by police operatives deployed to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.
A source, however, said the police were able to disperse some of them because “what happened was just a test running as one that will be worse to be controlled than the EndSARS would happen if justice is not seen to be clearly given and the mandate of Kano people is left to stand”.
He added, if due to their failure to clarify the judgment justice is not delivered, “when we start the real protests, security agencies cannot stop us”.
We gathered that in Kano, power is not in the hands of the politicthe al leaders but the talakawas, hence the fear the people own sole decision to respond.
