Kano State, Nigeria, has imposed a 24-hour curfew to maintain peace and order following the removal of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf by the state’s Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The tribunal declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasir Gawuna, as the winner of the March 2023 governorship election in the state.

The curfew, effective from 6 pm on Wednesday to 6 pm on Thursday, was confirmed by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, who warned that violators would face legal consequences.

Apprehensive traders in major markets and plazas hurriedly closed their shops, and residents rushed home after the tribunal invalidated Yusuf’s election as Kano State governor.

The court ordered the withdrawal of Yusuf’s certificate of return and directed the issuance of a new one to Gawuna.

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The tribunal ruled that 165,663 votes for the governor were invalid due to unsigned and unstamped ballot papers.

The Independent National Electoral Commission initially declared the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) the winner with 1,019,602 votes. However, the APC challenged the results, leading to the tribunal’s verdict.

In response, the NNPP vowed to appeal the tribunal’s judgment, calling it a replay of the 2019 governorship election.

The party accused the tribunal of overturning the people’s mandate and awarding it to the loser, describing the judgment as a miscarriage of justice that discourages confidence in the judiciary. The party’s counsel also confirmed they would appeal the verdict.