Pulse.ng : Northwest APC congratulates Gawuna over court victory, rejects Zamfara verdict

By Moses Kolo

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the North West Geopolitical zone has congratulated Kano State Gov. Nasir Gawuna and his running mate Murtala Garo over their victory t at Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal.

It would be recalled that the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, sacked Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), declaring the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, as the winner of the March 18 election.

Yusuf, who contested on the platform of APC was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the poll in March.

However, on Wednesday, Spet. 21, 2023, the three-man panel, after hearing the petitions, ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of return which INEC presented to Yusuf and directed a certificate of return to be issued to Gawuna.

The Congratulatory message was contained in a statement signed by Musa Mailafiya Mada, APC Zonal Publicity Secretary (Northwest) and made available to newsmen on Thursday in Kaduna.

Mada said that the Court ruling gave back to good people of Kano State their alleged stolen mandate which it was was briefly highjacked by some political power mongers residing in an unpopular NNPP.

“The court as the last resort of the common man was satisfied with the facts presented before it by the APC and declared 165,663 ballot papers that were not stamped or signed invalid.

“A number that exceeds their fictitious margin by 36,766 votes, dropping their actual votes to 853,939 which is insufficient to defeat the lawful vote polled by our candidate Nasir Gawuna,” it added.

He stated that verdict was a clear testimony that APC remained the most popular political party in the North West and the only platform accepted by electorates across the zone.

“Series of celebrations commemorating this judgement and peaceful atmosphere across Kano State is another testimony that the court have just spoken the minds of the masses which they had already demonstrated through the ballot box on 18th March 2023, only to be snatched using invalid votes.

Mada noted said that the APC National Chairman North West, Garba Datti reiterated the party’s commitment and support at the Zonal level to within the confine of the law would continue to depend on the mandate of the party members at all levels across the zone.

“The Zonal Chairman equally, rejects in totality the verdict of Zamfara State Election Petition Tribunal and call on the candidate of the All Progressives Congress and current Minister of State Defence His Excellency Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle to as a matter of urgency approach the appeal court where we hope that the error made by the tribunal will be corrected.

“Datti insists that due process in legal proceedings must be adhered to by our candidates at all levels and the party at the zonal level will stand by them every step of the way.

Mada said that the Zonal Chairman called for calm from members of the party across the zone especially the youths to abide by laws of the land as APC believed that justice will be served and would reclaim it’s alleged stolen mandates lawfully. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)