As the Bauchi Governorship Election Tribunal upheld the election of Governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), political discussions surrounding other states continue to heat up, particularly in Kano and Adamawa. The verdict in Bauchi, which dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, former Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, is seen by many as a critical moment, though the possibility of an appeal remains.
APC supporters in Kano have been celebrating a major win as the state’s Election Petition Tribunal ruled in favor of APC’s Nasir Gawuna, declaring him the rightful winner of the 2023 governorship election, ousting Abba Kabiru Yusuf, also known as Abba Gida-Gida, of the NNPP’s Kwankwasiyya movement from office. This decision follows the recent expulsion of Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, founder of Kwankwasiyya, from the NNPP, which some pundits suggest was a tactical move to weaken the movement.
Political analysts have been quick to point out that the struggle for Kano is as much a battle between Kwankwaso and his political rival, former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, as it is between their respective parties. Some suggest that the demolition of what the Ganduje camp views as "illegal structures" by the Kwankwasiyya-led administration was a vendetta in disguise.
Kwankwaso, who led the NNPP to a significant win in Kano during the 2023 presidential and governorship elections, now faces challenges as the tribunal directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw Yusuf’s certificate of return and issue it to Gawuna, citing invalid ballots. According to the tribunal, the APC secured 890,705 votes, while the NNPP's final tally was adjusted to 853,939.
This decision is being hailed by those who opposed Kwankwasiyya’s policies, with some hoping that this marks the beginning of the movement's decline in Kano and beyond. However, despite the celebrations, Kwankwasiyya supporters have vowed to appeal the ruling, raising questions about which political platform Kwankwaso will use, given his recent expulsion from the NNPP.
Following the ruling, a 24-hour curfew was imposed in Kano to maintain order. Observers are now questioning whether Gida-Gida will retain financial autonomy as governor while the case progresses through the appellate courts, as his legitimacy has been called into question by the tribunal.
Meanwhile, in Adamawa, the political landscape is just as tense. APC supporters, buoyed by the Kano decision, are hopeful that Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, will also prevail. Binani's camp has presented substantial evidence to the tribunal, seeking to overturn the election of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Supporters of Binani believe that her earlier declaration as the winner by the then Adamawa INEC Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari, underscores the irregularities in the election.
As the tribunal's decision in Adamawa looms, PDP supporters argue that it would be impossible to remove Fintiri from office, while Binani’s supporters are optimistic, pointing to the strength of the evidence submitted. They maintain that with Kano now "taken," Adamawa is next in line for an APC victory..
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