News
Why Appeal Court Sacked Kano Governor, Yusuf
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.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Appeal Court Sacks Kano Governor
“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.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Appeal Court Fixes Date For Judgment On Kano Gov Election
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.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Tribunal Sacks Kano NNPP Rep Member
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.
READ ALSO: Kano Tribunal Sacks Gov Yusuf, Seclares APC Winner
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
N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.
Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.
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Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.
“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”
“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
READ ALSO:My Beef With Wizkid Is For Life – Seun Kuti
“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”
Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.
Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.
Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.
News
Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.
He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.
READ ALSO:South Africa To Investigate ‘Mystery’ Of Planeload Of Palestinians
“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.
He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.
“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.
READ ALSO:South African Ambassador Found Dead Outside Paris Hotel
“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.
DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.
News
IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police
The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.
Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.
Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.
READ ALSO:
“All the Commissioners of Police are here and that is why we called this meeting, we have list of things like this that we will want to discuss with the Commissioners of Police, we have told them earlier and we will still let them know that every that happens within their area of jurisdiction falls under their control.”
On the issue of state police, the IGP said: “Since we got the signal that the Federal Government of Nigeria intend to establish State Police and since we are the federal police, we decided to take the bull by the horn and put down our own side of what we believe on how the state police should be run.
“A lot of things were taken into consideration, a lot of comparative analysis was done and it has been transmitted to the National Assembly.”
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