Kano Governor Commends Tinubu, Shettima for Upholding Judicial Independence
In a commendation towards the commitment to judicial independence, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for resisting alleged pressures that sought to influence the Supreme Court’s decision in the Kano governorship election.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Director-General of Media and Publicity at the Government House in Kano, Bature Tofa, Governor Yusuf accused the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress and former Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, of attempting to influence the court verdict. Despite the alleged pressure, Governor Yusuf acknowledged that both President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima stood firm and did not yield.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, reinstated Yusuf’s victory in the March 18, 2023, governorship election. This decision followed the nullification of his victory by both the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress as the winner.
The Supreme Court’s ruling alleviated the tension in Kano that had heightened after Yusuf’s removal by the two lower courts.
In his Sunday statement, Governor Yusuf expressed satisfaction with Tinubu and Shettima’s steadfastness in the face of alleged pressure to interfere with the apex court’s ruling, despite strong opposition from various quarters.
Yusuf extended an olive branch to his rival, Gawuna, who lost in the Supreme Court, emphasizing the importance of focusing on building Kano now that the political contest is over. The governor stated, “As a true democrat and progressive, I call upon my opponents and their supporters to join me in the endeavour to develop our beloved state of Kano for the betterment of its citizens.“
