News

Why Appeal Court Sacked Kano Governor, Yusuf

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2023

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Friday, nullified the election of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, held that governor Yusuf was not a valid candidate in the gubernatorial election that held in the state on March 18.

It maintained that a proof of evidence that was adduced before it, established that the governor was not a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, as at the time the election held. According to the court, Yusuf, under section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, was not qualified to contest the governorship election since he was not validly sponsored by the NNPP.

“A person must be a member of a political party before he can be sponsored for an election.

“Sponsorship without membership is like putting something on nothing,” the court held in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice M. U. Adumeh.

It held that the Constitution stipulated that a person shall be qualified for the office of a governor of a state, if he is a member of a political party.

“Membership of a political party is a sine qua non for eligibility to contest a governorship election,” the court held, adding that governor Yusuf’s name was not found in a three volumes of membership registers that the NNPP tendered in evidence.

Besides, the court wondered why governor Yusuf, who was the Appellant, relied on an affidavit that was deposed to by another person, to prove that he was a bonafide member of the political party.

It held that though the issue of membership is a domestic affair of a political party which no court has the jurisdiction to meddle in, “it should be noted that a court will not allow a political party to act arbitrarily. A political party must obey the Constitution,” the court added.

The appellate court further held that since section 134 (1) (a) of the Constitution, permitted a petitioner to contend that a candidate was not qualified to contest an election, “it is clear that a door or window of jurisdiction is opened to a court or tribunal to determine an assertion that a person whose election is being challenged, was not qualified to contest the election.

“A political party cannot be permitted to circumvent or breach mandatory provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

It held that section 77 (2) and (3) of the Electoral Act made it mandatory for political parties to maintain a register of its members, which it must make available to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

It added that the tribunal was wrong not to have disqualified the Appellant after his name was not found in NNPP’s membership register.

It held that the party’s decision to sponsor a candidate that was not its member in the governorship contest, was fatal to its interest.

The court held that governor Yusuf’s participation in the election without valid sponsorship by a political party, was “nothing but a mere nullity, irrespective of whether the person performed excellently well in the election.”

Consequently, the appellate court upheld the earlier judgement of the Kano state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which nullified governor Yusuf’s election, even as it awarded N1million cost against him.

It will be recalled that the tribunal had in a virtual judgement it delivered on September 20, sacked governor Yusuf from office and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress, APC, as the valid winner of the governorship poll.

The three-member panel tribunal, led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, held that some ballot papers that were relied upon to declare Yusuf as winner of the gubernatorial contest, were neither signed nor stamped by the INEC.

It proceeded to declare 165,663 of the votes that were credited to the NNPP candidate as invalid.

Following the deduction of the said invalid votes, Yusuf, who was initially declared winner of the governorship poll with a total of 1,019,602 votes, had his tally reduced to 853, 939 votes.

With the development, his closest rival and candidate of the APC, Ganuwa, emerged the winner of the election with 890,705 votes.

Dissatisfied with the judgement, governor Yusuf approached the appellate court to set it aside, a prayer the court refused on Friday.

News

Former Oyo Police Commissioner Is Dead

Published

2 hours ago

September 24, 2025

Editor

A Former Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abiodun Odude is dead.

The shocking news of his death was shared by the Chairman, Ibadan branch of Government College, GCI Old Boys Association, Akin Orowale on the Association’s platform.

Abiodun Odude, an old boy of GCI, served as Oyo CP between 2017 and 2019.

In the meantime, reactions have continued to trail the death of Odude.

A former Director General, Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), and GCI OBA stalwart, Dr Yinka Adepoju posted this on platform.

“Hmmm, another deep cut in the GCI Old Boys Association and Boys of 71 Set in particular!

“May the Soul of Biodun rest in peace as l pray that the Lord comforts all members of this Great 71Set and his entire family members, ‘Yinka Adepoju @71, 2356# Grierson”

“So sad to lose such a personality NOW. But what can we do? Nothing absolutely than to wish him eternal rest and divine consolation to the loved ones left behind, particularly his immediate family and GCIOBA,” another old boy, who is an Ibadan based politician, Mr Adeniyi Adeoti said.

The late Odude served in the Intelligence Department, Zone 2, Lagos State as Deputy Commissioner of Police, CID, Panti, Yaba; he was Commissioner of Police, Administration; Department of Finance and Admin., Force Headquarters, Abuja.

News

Lagos Govt Gives Computer Village Traders Ultimatum To Relocate To Katangowa

Published

6 hours ago

September 24, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has given traders at the popular Computer Village in Ikeja an 18-month deadline to move to a new permanent site at Katangowa, in the Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement with market leaders and traders on Tuesday.

According to him, the state government has provided the necessary infrastructure and facilities at the Katangowa site to ensure a conducive business environment once the relocation takes effect.

“The government wants your cooperation to ensure the relocation comes to pass. The time is now. We have to make the project a reality. The relocation period is 18 months,” Oki said.

He explained that Computer Village currently sits on land originally designated as a residential area, which over time was converted into a bustling commercial hub without formal approval from the government.

Oki also revealed that plans to move traders from Ikeja to Katangowa have been in the works since 2006 but were stalled due to delays in completing the new site.

Emphasizing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to inclusive governance, he noted that the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to carry traders along in the government’s plans.

“The governor is passionate about infrastructure development and the welfare of Lagosians. Katangowa has been designated as the permanent site for this market. It sits on 15 hectares of land, well-planned and strategically located near essential resources for your businesses.

“The present location in Ikeja was never meant to serve as a trading hub. What we are offering at Katangowa is a structured market environment that supports growth while addressing environmental and urban planning concerns. We want to work with you and jointly plan this relocation,” Oki said.

News

Ooni’s Palace Slams Oluwo Over ‘Ife Not Yoruba Origin’ Claim

Published

11 hours ago

September 24, 2025

Editor

The palace of the Ooni of Ife on Tuesday slammed the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, over his claim that Ile-Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba people.

Reacting to the comments, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the statement, saying, “No reasonable person will react to Oluwo’s comments.”

Oba Akanbi, known for his controversial views, had in a video posted on his Facebook page while conferring a chieftaincy title in his palace, insisted that “Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture.”

Flanked by his chiefs, the Iwo monarch argued that the language spoken in Ile-Ife — widely regarded as the cradle of the Yoruba race — differed from mainstream Yoruba. He also questioned the use of certain expressions.

“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They refer to God as Eledumare, and there is nothing like Eledumare in the Yoruba language. What we have is Olodumare.

“Ife people will always say Olofin. If you ask them the meaning, they will tell you it means the owner of the palace. But in Yoruba, that is Alaafin. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture.

“I am the Arole Olodumare because I am here to tell you the true history. Iwo is where you can get the real history that was not even documented,” he said, stressing his determination to preserve his version of history.

Debates over the origin of the Yoruba and the authority of monarchs to confer titles have long been contentious.

In August, The PUNCH reported a similar face-off between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland, allegedly conferred on Ibadan businessman Chief Dotun Sanusi by the Ooni.

The Alaafin, through his media aide Bode Durojaiye, insisted no traditional ruler other than him had the authority to bestow a title covering the entire Yorubaland. He issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the title or “face the consequences.”

In response, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Olafare, dismissed the ultimatum, saying the monarch had chosen to leave the issue “in the court of public opinion.”

“We cannot dignify the ‘undignifyable’ with an official response. We leave the matter to the public court of opinion, as it is already being treated. Let’s focus on narratives that unite us rather than those capable of dividing us. No press release, please. Forty-eight hours, my foot!” he wrote on Facebook.