*Express Confidence on Supreme Court
By JACOB ONJEWU DICKZON
Ahead the Supreme Court hearing and verdict of the controversial Kano Governorship election case, a group of retired judicial personnel under aegis of Transparent Justice Initiative has urged Supreme Court to affirm what it termed ‘popular’ victory’ of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf (Abba Gida Gida) and safe judiciary from further embarrassment.
According to the group, the judiciary remains the last hope of common man and it should reflect so in its verdicts , especially on election matters.
“Worried by the Appeal Court verdicts and subsequent erroneous impressions in the public domain, as a group of retired personnel,we want to reassure Nigerians that the Supreme Court as the final arbiter and the last resort for dispute resolution will ensure justice prevailed.” It stated .
Recalled that the appeal court sitting in Abuja upheld the ruling of the tribunal that sacked Governor Yusuf and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the March 18 election.
In a press statement signed by the Coordinator of Transparent Justice Initiative, Mr. Stanley Kingsley and made available to journalists today in Kaduna,the group which expressed confidence in the supreme court said, “Over the years it has demonstrated ability to protects rule of law; ensure supremacy of law and safeguards rights of individuals.”
” And we have no doubts in our minds that the Supreme Court will critical study the tribunal and appeal Court judgement in order to ensure that voices and rights of the people which are of utmost importance and are guaranteed as stipulated in our constitution electoral act .”
While noting that it will amount to a case of “Miscarriage of Justice” for the court to remove a popularly elected candidate. We saw how on March 18, 2023, people came out en masse and voted for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf with a total of 1,019,602 votes and a margin of 128,897 votes between him and second place, APC candidate.
The panel upheld the verdict of the tribunal led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay that sacked Yusuf on September 20, 2023. The lower court had declared 165,663 votes of Yusuf, who contested under the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), invalid on the grounds that they were not signed or stamped by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
” We have carefully read the judgement and discovered that this is the first time in the history that a tribunal would annul an election over non-signing of the back of ballot papers and this must be avoided in future.
The group which ask the court to shun pressure from the judiciary however said, “We believe and have full confidence that the Supreme Court will do the needful and ensure the mandate of the Kano people who voted.
“Everywhere in the world , the judiciary is widely respected and relied upon for justice and we strongly believe it be same afterwards.
It therefore, urged Nigerians not lost confidence in the judiciary as it remains a dependable institution that strengthens democracy .
