Enhanced security measures have been implemented around the Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex within the three arms zones of Abuja in anticipation of the forthcoming judgment in the Kano State governorship election appeal. The heightened security extends to other significant governorship elections, including those in Lagos, Zamfara, Plateau, Ebonyi, Bauchi, and Cross River.
The court is scheduled to commence proceedings at 9 a.m. The Kano and Plateau appeals hold particular interest as the incumbent governors were ousted by lower courts, adding to the anticipation surrounding these rulings.
Our correspondent, present at the court complex from 7:15 a.m. on Friday, observes a robust security presence, presumably implemented to ensure a smooth and uneventful legal process.
NAN also observed that security operatives from regular and plain-clothed police units have been deployed to the Court’s main entrance to block unauthorised movements of human and vehicles into the complex premises.
NAN reports that 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.
NAN reports that journalists were also having difficulty finding their way into the court premises.
NAN reports that 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 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 judgment, Yusuf had approached the Appeal Court. But the appellate court had 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.
