Security operatives have taken over the Appeal Court in Abuja in anticipation of the judgement on the Kano State Governorship Election Petition.

The heightened security presence is likely a response to the previous reaction of Kano residents to the Tribunal’s decision on the same matter in September.

Recall that in the March 18, 2023 election, Abba Kabir Yusuf was declared the winner by the Independent National Electronic Electoral Commission (INEC) with 1,019,602 votes, surpassing Nasiru Gawuna’s 890,705 votes.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken the matter to the Tribunal, alleging electoral malpractice.

Subsequently, a three-man panel, including Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay, along with two other judges, removed Yusuf from office on September 20, 2023, after declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid due to the lack of signatures or stamps from the Independent National Electoral Commission.

As a result, the governor’s votes were reduced to 853,939, while Ganuwa’s 890,705 votes remained. Yusuf immediately rejected the Tribunal’s decision, calling it “unfair” and “a miscarriage of justice,” and appealed the ruling.

In response, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, criticized the Tribunal’s decision, arguing that voters should not be penalized for INEC’s mistakes.