Gov Yusuf Accepts Ganduje’s Challenge, Heads to Supreme Court

*Former gov explains how APC nailed NNPP in Kano

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, yesterday accepted the challenge of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, to contest his sack by the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

This is coming as Ganduje has opened up on what his party used to nail Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on Friday upheld the nullification of the election of Governor Yusuf by the state election petition tribunal.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices led by Justice Moore A. Adumein, held that Governor Yusuf was not a valid candidate in the gubernatorial election held in the state on March 18.

Shortly after the verdict, a boastful Ganduje had dared Yusuf to go to the Supreme Court, expressing optimism that the APC would trounce the NNPP again at the Supreme Court.
Ganduje, who applauded the appellate court for dispensing justice, said he was sure that the NNPP would still want to try their luck in the apex court, but assured them of another round of defeat.

“Probably they will go to the Supreme Court which is part of democracy. There is nothing wrong for them to go to the Supreme Court. We too, are ready to meet them in the Supreme Court. And Inshallah, we will win in the Supreme Court as well.”
Yesterday, Yusuf and his party, the NNPP rejected the Appeal Court judgment and declared their resolve to take the case to the Supreme Court to retain his seat.
Yusuf announced this in a post on his X page.

He wrote: “After careful study and rigorous stakeholders’ engagement, my team and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have decided to approach the Supreme Court on the miscarriage of justice, delivered by the Appeal Court, yesterday in Abuja.
“We are optimistic that the Supreme Court will by the grace of Allahu SWT, set aside these miscarriages of justice by the Tribunal and the Appeal Court, and reaffirm our mandate, as given by the good people of Kano State.

“Furthermore, I call on the good people of the Kano State to continue to go about their legitimate businesses, as we have taken all the necessary measures to ensure the security of their lives and property as a cardinal responsibility.

Meanwhile, the founder of NNPP, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has described the sack of Yusuf as a rude shock.
“I do know that it is only the NNPP and its members that can determine who is a member of the party or not.”
 “Our hope is alive ahead of the Supreme Court judgment in due time.
In a related development, Ganduje has also opened up on what his party used to nail Governor Yusuf and the presidential candidate of the NNPP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Reacting to the Appeal Court’s judgment, Ganduje said Kwankwaso was so desperate to become president that he did not notice INEC had closed accepting nomination forms when he joined the NNPP.

The APC national chairman said they were aware of the development and had waited for the right time to strike.
Ganduje said, “They were in PDP and when the crisis heated up and they were punched repeatedly they left the party and started groping for a platform. Unfortunately, they ran into a political party symbolising fruit. They were given tickets because their leader was daydreaming; their leader was ambitious to be the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but he was frightened.

“And because they desperately wanted a governor in Kano State, the party gave them a ticket to contest. But they made a serious blunder because when they joined the party, INEC had closed the submission of nomination forms. But they were blind and uneducated. They went into the ring without making careful observation of this.

“They did not know that we laid in wait. We took the file, submitted it to Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gwuna, and told him to hold it tight. When we filed a petition at the Kano governorship election tribunal, we told the court that they were not fielded by the party. We told the court that when INEC closed accepting names of candidates, they did not join the party.”