The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), upholding his election as the governor of Kano State.

The apex court set aside previous judgments from the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which initially declared APC candidate Nasiru Gawuna as the winner.

ALSO READ: Supreme court holds judgment on PDP and APC appeals challenging governor Otti’s election

In a unanimous decision delivered on Friday, January 12, the Supreme Court overturned the judgments of the lower courts, stating that valid votes credited to Governor Yusuf were wrongly deducted.

The court deemed the 165,663 votes deducted based on unsigned, unstamped, or undated ballot papers as valid.

Contrary to the lower courts’ position, the Supreme Court confirmed that 146,292 of the ballot papers were signed and stamped, though lacking a date.

The Supreme Court emphasized that, according to section 63(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, ballot papers bearing the official mark and duly issued by INEC were not entirely invalid.

ALSO READ: Yusuf submits N24 billion supplementary budget to Kano assembly

It also dismissed the claim that Governor Yusuf’s non-membership in the NNPP influenced the nullification of his election, stating that a political party’s candidate sponsorship is an internal matter.

The court concluded that Yusuf secured the governorship election with a majority of lawful votes and was duly nominated by his political party.