By Sunusi Bature
An appeal court sitting in Kaduna presided by Justice Tanko Hussaini has delivered judgment in favour of Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, the PDP Governorship candidate in the recent 2019 elections against Alhaji Ibrahim Al’amin Little.
Delivering the judgment, today Thursday the 18th of April, 2019, the Justices of the appeal court set aside the judgment of a Kano based Federal High Court and confirmed Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf as a bona fide gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Kano State 2019.
The court agreed with the prayers of the appellate (Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf) that the plaintiff Ibrahim Al’amin Little did not participate in the October 2nd 2018 primary election conducted by the PDP in Kano. In his response, the defense counsel Barr. Bashir Yusuf TudunWazirci, said that as contained in the section 87 subsection 9 of the electoral act 2010 as amended, a petitioner can only file a case before the court if he or she formally participated in the primary election in question.
As a result of the foregoing, the appeal court said the case has no substance due to some irregularities part of which is the appellate name was not included among the dependants and agreed that the lower court in Kano has no right to entertain the case.
Therefore, Justice Tanko Hussain of the appeal court confirmed Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf as the authentic flag-bearer of the PDP in Kano State for 2019 governorship election. It can be recalled that the candidate has survived court judgments to stand as the PDP flagbearer four times.
Alh. Ibrahim Al’amin, one of the PDP aspirants in Kano State approached an Abuja High Court challenging the legitimacy of Engr. Abba K. Yusuf as the gubernatorial candidate; the case was later transferred to a Federal High Court sitting in Kano which initially ruled in favour of the plaintiff.
Last week, Engr. Abba K. Yusuf along with his party (the PDP) submitted a 1,625 pages petition challenging Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s purported victory at the polls, it was reported that forty eight (48) lawyers including six (6) Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs) led by the famous Chief Asiwaju Awomolo SAN and former Attorney General of the Federation Kanu Agabi are set to depend the PDP and its candidate Abba K. Yusuf before the election petition tribunal in Kano.
Responding on today’s judgment, the PDP governorship candidate Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf said democracy is wining as the judiciary remains a catalyst in restoring the hope and confidence of the citizens in bringing a society that is free from any kind of injustice.
“It is with great sense of humility; I thank the Almighty Allah (SWT) for all his blessings throughout my contest as the PDP flag-bearer, in his infinite mercy, Allah has made it possible for us to have recorded a lot successes in our journey to destiny. I want use this opportunity to appreciate the members of our great party the PDP, Kwankwasiyya Movement and indeed the good people of Kano state for identifying with us in these trying moments and showcasing their ardent support”
Engr. Abba Kabir added that “the truth will continue to unveil as we are determined to reclaim our stolen mandate. We called Alhaji Ibrahim Al’amin Little as a friend and brother to join hands with us in our mission in sanitizing the process governance and ensuring that Kano return to its glorious old good days both economically, socially, politically and otherwise”
Signed
Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa
The Spokesperson to Engr. Abba K. Yusuf
PDP Governorship Candidate, Kano State 2019
