The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Friday, ruled that the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf was not qualified to contest in the governorship election held on the 18th of March, 2023.
According to the Court of Appeal, Yusuf was not a member of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), as of the time the elections were conducted.
Yusuf had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest on the platform of the NNPP which is been led by his political father and a presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The judges further stated that the tribunal was wrong not to have disqualified the appellant, Governor Yusuf.
The three-member panel of justices held that Governor Yusuf was not a valid candidate in the gubernatorial election that was held in the state on March 18.
It maintained that evidence that was adduced by the parties established that Governor Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP at the time the election was held.
According to the court, Yusuf, under section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, was not qualified to contest the governorship election since he was not validly sponsored by the NNPP.
The court held in its lead judgment that was delivered by Justice M. U. Adumeh, “A person must be a member of a political party before he can be sponsored for an election.
Sponsorship without membership is like putting something on nothing.”
