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Supreme Court Reserves Judgment In Kano Governorship Appeal
After six hours of fierce legal fireworks, the Supreme Court on Thursday in Abuja reserved judgment in the Kano State Governorship legal battle.
At the centre of the legal battle are the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP and the All Progressives Congress APC and their governorship candidates Kabir Yusuf and Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna,
At Thursday’s proceedings, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN asked the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the Appeal Court and the Tribunal.
Olanipekun specifically pleaded with the five-man Apex Court panel headed by Justice John Inyang Okoro to determine whether or not, the guidelines of INEC would be a basis for nullifying the election victory of a candidate who won the election by a margin of over 100,000.
The senior lawyer argued that this is the first time in the annals of electoral jurisprudence that an election was nullified on grounds that ballot papers were not signed or stamped at the back.
He said INEC guidelines do not envisage that the courts would nullify an election based on INEC’s purported failure to stamp ballot papers on the back.
The governor’s legal team maintained that its client’s membership of the NNPP is a pre-election matter and that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter
“The judgment of the lower courts is very unfair to the appellant and we urge your lordships to upturn it,” Olanipekun said.
“Nobody raised the legality or illegality of the ballots. They tendered the ballot from the bar. Nobody spoke to it,” Olanipekun replied.
“The ballot papers were legal because they were issued by INEC officials.
But in a counter-argument, the All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi maintained that the Electoral Act mandates INEC presiding officers to sign the back of ballot papers after the conclusion of the election to make them legal and lawful
Olujinmi said the findings of the tribunal were simply that the ballot papers were not signed at the back and not dated and proceeded to cancel the election where the ballots were used.
He said electoral irregularities are manifest on the disputed ballot papers.
On the issue of party membership, Olujinmi argued that the NNPP membership register did not show the name of Abba Yusuf on it.
Counsel for INEC Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, supported the arguments of Olanipekun.
He submitted that the decisions of the lower courts were flawed.
Mahmoud said the testimony of a subpoenaed witness(PW32) which the tribunal relied on to sack Abba Yusuf was not front-loaded along with the petition at the tribunal contrary to the Electoral Act.
“They were our ballot papers issued by INEC,” Mahmoud said, it was not the duty of a voter to check if ballot papers were signed or not but that of the party agents.
He said INEC’s contention is that the tribunal went far beyond its powers in vetting each of the ballot papers in their chambers and not in open court.
Mahmoud contended that membership of a political party is clearly an internal affair of a political party and Abba Yusuf’s name was forwarded to INEC before the election while his party membership card was tendered in evidence at the tribunal.
Counsel for the NNPP, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN said ballot papers were actually cast at the polling units but the APC legal team did not specify the polling units affected at the Tribunal in line with the rules of the court.
Awomolo said ballot papers not signed ought not to affect the validity of an election.
“My submission is that the election is the decision of the people. The tribunal was wrong to recount the ballots in its chambers.
The NNPP counsel added that not a single witness told the Tribunal that ballot papers were not stamped.
He urged the Apex Court to restore the 165,165 cancelled votes of Abba Yusuf and affirm his election.
After taking arguments from parties, Justice Okoro reserved judgment on the governor’s appeal.
The tribunal had in September nullified Yusuf’s election, citing over 160,000 invalid votes due to missing signatures and stamps on the ballot papers.
The APC had challenged the election outcome at the Tribunal, alleging electoral malpractice.
Yusuf, however, appealed the tribunal’s decision to the Court of Appeal.
But the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the appeal filed by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate against the judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which declared the All Progressive Congress (APC) flag bearer, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, as the winner of the state’s governorship poll held on March 18.
A new video has emerged showing two men reportedly kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State, pleading for assistance to secure their release.
One of the captives, former Biu Local Government Area Chairman Hassan Biu Miringa, revealed that their abductors are demanding a $300,000 ransom.
Miringa said he and another individual were taken in December 2025 and have remained in the custody of the militants.
In the video shared by Zagazola Makama, Miringa introduced himself, saying: “I am Hassan Biu Miringa, former Chairman of Biu Local Government from 2020 to 2022. Four years after my tenure, we were kidnapped by the soldiers of Khilafa about two weeks ago. Alhamdulillah, we are still alive, but we urgently need help to save our lives.”
He added that negotiations with the kidnappers had been underway, with some preliminary agreements reportedly reached.
“We have engaged them on four separate occasions and reached an understanding. We appeal to our leaders, especially Borno State Deputy Governor Alhaji Usman Umar Kadafur, the National Assembly representative for Biu, Kwaya, and Shani Hon. Betera Aliyu, as well as our community leaders, to temper justice with mercy and assist us. We are their children and have been working together,” Miringa said.
He confirmed the ransom demand, explaining that each captive is expected to pay $150,000, totaling $300,000 for their freedom, and pleaded for urgent intervention to reunite with their families.
The video highlights ongoing concerns over kidnappings and insecurity in southern Borno State, which have persisted despite government efforts to curb insurgent activity in the region.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday visited Port Harcourt City Local Government as part of his “thank you” visit across Rivers State.
Upon his arrival, a group of women displayed a symbolic gesture of loyalty by spreading their wrappers on the ground for his motorcade.
The women and supporters of the Minister were in a jubilant mode as Wike drove on the wrappers.
Wike has been going around local governments in the state to appreciate them for their support while reeling out moves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In the course of his visits, the Minister had fired several salvos at political actors in the state, warning that their sudden support for President Bola Tinubu won’t secure them any ticket in 2027.
Wike also renewed rivalry with Governor Sim Fubara over the leadership control of the political space in the state.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially reaffirmed that the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, are ongoing and have not been suspended.
The Assembly said the process is still ongoing and is being conducted strictly in line with constitutional provisions.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Hon. Enemi George.
According to the statement, the impeachment process, which began on Thursday, January 8, 2026, remains on course in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The lawmakers disclosed that separate notices of allegations bordering on gross misconduct have been served on both the governor and his deputy in line with Section 188 of the Constitution.
“The notices of allegations of gross misconduct against the Governor and the Deputy Governor have been duly forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and the House is awaiting their responses,” the statement said.
The Assembly maintained that it is constitutionally obligated to act in the interest of the rule of law and ensure that no public office holder acts outside legal boundaries.
Reacting to reports suggesting that the impeachment move had been halted, the House accused some individuals and media outlets of deliberately spreading misinformation to mislead the public and stir tension between the legislature and Rivers residents.
The lawmakers described such reports as false and insisted they would not succumb to intimidation, threats, or blackmail.
“We are aware of renewed attempts by certain persons and media platforms to misinform the public by claiming that the impeachment process has been discontinued. The public should disregard such falsehoods, as the process remains active,” the statement added.
The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to democratic principles and constitutional responsibilities, stressing that it would not be distracted by what it termed “cheap propaganda.”
It also appreciated the people of Rivers State for their support and prayers amid the ongoing political developments and extended goodwill to Nigerians committed to the nation’s democratic journey.
JomogNews reports that during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara on the floor of the House.
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