Security beefed up at Supreme Court ahead of Kano, 6 other gov appeals

Heavy security has been beefed around the Supreme Court in the three arms zones of Abuja ahead of the judgement in the Kano State governorship election appeal.

The Supreme Court will also deliver judgement in Lagos, Zamfara, Plateau, Ebonyi, Bauchi, and Cross River states governorship elections.

The apex court will commence sitting by 9 a.m.

The judgements in the Kano and Plateau states’ appeals are the most anticipated because the lower courts had sacked the incumbent governors.

Heavy security was built around the court in the early hours of Friday, January 12, 2024, possibly to ensure hitch-free proceedings.

It was gathered that security operatives from regular and plain-clothed police units have been deployed to the court’s main entrance to block unauthorised movements of humans and vehicles into the complex premises.

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Though only lawyers and parties involved in the matter were permitted, hundreds of supporters of the parties could be seen trying to gain access to the premises.

Journalists were also having difficulty finding their way into the court premises.

Kano State Governor, AbbaYusuf, and his party NNPP, had filed an appeal against the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed his sacking as earlier pronounced by the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The tribunal had sacked Yusuf and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw his certificate of return and instead issue same to Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18, 2023, governorship election.

However, not satisfied with the tribunal judgement, Yusuf approached the Appeal Court. But the appellate court, while affirming his sack, further held that the governor was not a member of the party as of the time of the election and could not have been said to have been properly sponsored for the election.

In Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s election was upheld by the Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Jos, the state capital, but the Appeal Court overturned his victory and declared Nentawe Goshwe of the APC as the winner of the election.

The court ruled that the failure of the PDP to comply with the order of the Plateau State High Court in Jos directing it to conduct valid ward, local governments, and state congresses before nominating its candidates for the various elective posts was a breach of the law.

The Star