Palpable fear, apprehension and a high octane tension have enveloped the Northern commercial city of Kano, Kano State, North West, Nigeria, since the State Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday (20 September) annulled the victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and declared Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) as the winner of the election. The three-man member tribunal thus ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return earlier issued to Yusuf, and issued a fresh one to Gawuna forthwith.
Sensing probable danger, the State Police Command has therefore imposed a 24-hour curfew across the State. “Going forward, Kano State residents are called upon to note that combined Security Forces have already been dispatched to the nooks and crannies including the entry and exits of the state to ensure enforcement and strict compliance of the Twenty-Four Hours (24hrs) Curfew order as communicated by the State Government via letter with Reference No: K/SEC/H/435/T.1/153 dated 20th September, 2023 taking effect from 6pm of Wednesday, 20th September to 6pm of Thursday, 21st September 2023!”, the Police Commissioner, Muhammad Gumel, said in a Statement.
There were reports that the two contending camps of Kwakansiyya Movement, led by Dr. Rabiu Kwakanso, and the Dr. Abdullahi Umar Granduje’s camp of APC, have been boasting and claiming the bragging rights in the days leading to the Wednesday’s verdict. The State Security chiefs, therefore moved to stalled an outbreak of violence by advising the Tribunal members to deliver the judgment online, via Zoom conference. All entrances to the Tribunal’s venue were blocked very early in the morning and access restricted.
Immediately the tribunal’s verdict, which was delivered via a zoom conference meeting because of the high history of political volatility of the State, was broadcasted on the State radio station, there were panic and confusion in Kano municipality.
Tension in Kano as shops close abruptly, traders across major markets of the state capital shut their shops and rushed home. Some of the areas where merchants suspended activities were Kantin Kwari, Sabon Gari, and Singer markets. A prominent shopping mall in the metropolis, Ado Bayero Mall (ShopRite), is also presently under lock and key.
While the two camps trades insults and abuses around the Tribunal location, traders panicky started to lock up their shops while students were withdrawn from schools.
There is apprehension in the state following the judgment that declared Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.
Residents were seen scampering and running helter-skelter to close their shops and business places for fear of attacks by hoodlums.
The state witnessed several looting, vandalization and arson in March of this year following the INEC’s declaration of Governor Yusuf as the winner of the election.
The victorious APC immediately started a hyper excited procession over the party’s victory in the just concluded Governorship Election Petition Tribunal judgement, while hundreds of youths gathered on the street in Kano beating drums and blowing trumpets while also chanting songs in praise of the former Deputy Governor’s victory.
The APC Chairman in the State, Abdullahi Abbas later joined the procession on top of his car. He was seen shaking hands with the jubilant youths as they showered him with praises.
‘Allah Akbir. Allah has saved Kano!’, Gawuna is coming!’, ‘Our mandate is back!’ , they sang along.
The leadership of the NNPP would however not let go easily. They quickly mobilized a protests singing ‘this is robbery’.
The party later issued a statement where signed it stated its unhappiness with the ruling of the tribunal. The in the statement signed by its acting national chairman, Abba Kawu Ali, said the tribunal’s verdict is a miscarriage of justice The opposition party in Kano state accused the tribunal of unjustly subtracting votes from the NNPP’s result so as to favour the ruling APC.
The acting national chairman of the party, Abba Kawu Ali in the statement alleged that the tribunal unjustly subtracted 165,663 votes from the party’s result in order to award victory to the ruling party, the APC.
The acting chairman while appealing for calm in Kano state also alleged the judgement was an affront to constitutionalism, vowing that the party would appeal the judgement.
The party also claimed the judgment of the tribunal is a replay script of the 2019 governorship election, where the tribunal allegedly upturned the peoples’ mandate and awarded it to the loser.
With the tension not showing signs of abatement, the State Police Command took a proactive measure by declaring a 24-hour curfew throughout the State.
The State’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Muhammad Gumel, in a statement he personally signed, on Wednesday, (20 September), said a combined team of security operatives has been dispatched across the city to enforce the curfew.
The CP said a combined team of security operatives have been dispatched across the city to enforce the curfew.
Gumel said: “In view of the Constitutional mandate of the Nigeria Police Force alongside the relevant Internal Security and Law Enforcement Agencies to preserve law and order in the state, the Kano State Police Command has mapped out strategies in that direction and called on the good people of the State to give the necessary confidence and support.
“Going forward, Kano State residents are called upon to note that combined Security Forces have already been dispatched to the nooks and crannies including the entry and exits of the state to ensure enforcement and strict compliance of the Twenty-Four Hours (24hrs) Curfew order as communicated by the State Government via letter with Reference No: K/SEC/H/435/T.1/153 dated 20th September, 2023 taking effect from 6pm of Wednesday, 20th September to 6pm of Thursday, 21st September 2023.
The Police Chief warned that “violators will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Finally, I wish to appreciate all the peace-loving People of the State and urge them to remain law abiding as it’s in the best interest of all that we come together to maintain law and order in the State”, the Police boss added.
On Wednesday, the three-man panel ordered withdrawal of certificate of return which INEC presented to Governor Yusuf and directed a certificate of return to be issued to Gawuna.
The court deducted 165,663 votes from Governor Yusuf’s total as invalid votes, stating that the ballot papers (165,663) were not stamped or signed and therefore declared invalid.
All three grounds of the petition were resolved in favour of APC.
This verdict is particularly seen as a victory for Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the APC over his former boss, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP.
www.focusmagazineonline.com (September 2023)
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