Parallel Supreme Court Outcomes: Wike, Abba Yusuff's Victory

On Friday, the Supreme Court reinstated Abba Yusuff as the governor of Kano State, overturning the decisions of lower courts that had earlier removed him from office.

Abba Yusuff, a candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, had emerged as the winner in the March 18, 2023, governorship election in Kano, defeating Nasir Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress.

However, Gawuna challenged Yusuff's victory at the Governorship Election Tribunal, seeking to annul the election results. The tribunal invalidated 165,663 votes for Yusuff, citing that they were from ballot papers lacking proper stamping and signing.

Yusuff appealed the tribunal's decision at the court of appeal, which upheld the ruling and criticized the lower court for not disqualifying the governor. The court of appeal asserted that Yusuff was not properly sponsored by the NNPP, violating the constitution's Section 177 (c).

In a turnaround at the Supreme Court, Justice John Okoro ordered the restoration of all deducted votes, emphasizing that the ballot papers adhered to the provisions of the Electoral Act. He also highlighted that party membership issues are internal affairs.

Abba Yusuff's journey to victory mirrors that of Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State. In 2015, Wike, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, faced a similar situation when the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal ruled in favor of the APC's Dakuku Peterside, calling for a new election within 90 days. Wike's appeal at the court of appeal was unsuccessful, but the Supreme Court affirmed his victory, citing a lack of evidence for malpractices and non-compliance by the APC and its candidate.

Both Wike and Abba Yusuff experienced a moment of almost losing hope before their victories were secured. The symbolism of victory celebrations in Kano, akin to Wike's experience in Rivers, reflects the resilience and eventual triumph of hope despite initial challenges.