Kano tribunal reserves judgement in petition challenging Gov Yusuf’s election

The Kano State election petition tribunal on Monday reserved judgment in a petition challenging Governor Abba Yusuf’s victory in the March 18 governorship election in the state.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Yusuf Gawuna, are challenging the outcome of the election over alleged fraud by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the exercise.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kabir-Yusuf, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) were listed as respondents in the petition.

The three-member panel led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebe, said the date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties after they had adopted their final written addresses.

She said: “I am honoured and privileged that this is my first assignment as the chairman of a tribunal and I prayed to God to guide me to uphold the integrity of my job.

“We will be fair. Please be rest assured that we will read what the law says and we will read it to the best of our knowledge.”

READ ALSO: Police bans protests ahead of Kano tribunal judgement

In his final written addresses dated July 31, August 6, 7, and 8, and read at Monday’s proceeding, the APC counsel, Offiong Offiong (SAN), said: “We urge the court to adopt our written addresses as our argument and urge the tribunal to uphold our petition and grant our reliefs.

“The second respondent brought two membership registers before and after the election. The membership number is inconsistent.

“It shows that the second respondent is not a member of NNPP before the election, he became a member after the election.

“All the ballot papers used in some local government areas were not signed, stamped, and dated.”

On his part, the INEC counsel, Emmanuel Osayomi, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lack of evidence.

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