In a judicial showdown set for Friday, the Supreme Court is poised to cast its decisive judgment on the gubernatorial appeals of seven states: Lagos, Kano, Zamfara, Plateau, Ebonyi, Bauchi, and Cross River. The atmosphere is tense, particularly in Kano, Plateau, and Zamfara, where opposition parties hold sway.
All eyes are on the Kano and Plateau appeals, where incumbent governors face the aftermath of lower courts ousting them. The Nigerian police have deployed operatives in Kano to maintain calm post-ruling. Legal representatives passionately presented their cases at the apex court, vying for favorable outcomes.
In the Kano appeal, Governor Abba Yusuf's election was nullified by the tribunal, citing 165,663 invalidated votes. The appellate court upheld this decision, faulting the lower court for not disqualifying the governor, citing improper sponsorship by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress was declared the winner, a decision Yusuf hopes the apex court will overturn.
On the Plateau front, Caleb Mutfwang's victory was initially upheld by the tribunal, but the appeal court overturned it, declaring Nentawe Goshwe of the APC the winner. The court emphasized the PDP's breach of the law by failing to comply with court orders for valid congresses. As the Supreme Court prepares to render its verdict, the political landscape in these states hangs in the balance.