The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has said it plans to appeal the judgment of Court of Appeal which upturned the victory of Gov. Kabir Yusuf of Kano State at the Supreme Court.
Alhaji Abba Ali, the NNPP acting National Chairman, said this at a news conference on Saturday in Abuja.
Ali said that the judgment was miscarriage of justice saying that Yusuf was given a popular mandate by the people of Kano State.
He said the party had already briefed its lawyers on the issue.
“Believing in the credibility of the judiciary and its ability to correct any error of judgment by the lower court, our party approached the Court of Appeal and prayed the appellate court to set aside the unjust ruling of the lower court.
“To our greatest shock and consternation, the Court of Appeal on Friday Nov. 17 delivered a convoluted judgment that was anchored around their erroneous belief that Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP,” he said.
Ali said that to claim that Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP at the time of the 2023 general election, was a mischief.
He wondered how Yusuf could have been successful nominated on INEC portal if his name was not submitted with the NNPP membership card.
“For our party, and we are sure for INEC as well, the issue of membership of candidate is a non-issue since the system of nomination is designed by INEC in such a way that only registered members can be nominated and uploaded onto the portal.
“It is therefore unbelievable that the Appeal Court would refuse to look at the merit of our party’s appeal and cling to the erroneous issue of membership that has already been settled severally by both the Appeal and Supreme Courts.
“We are therefore informing all members of the NNPP and indeed all Nigerians that our party has already briefed our lawyers to appeal this injustice at the Supreme Court.
“We believe that the Supreme Court will correct the errors of the tribunal and the Appeal Court and restore the mandate of the good people of Kano State by re-affirming Alhaji Yusuf as the duly elected Governor of Kano State,” he said.
Ali called on the judiciary to live up to its calling as the temple of justice and the last hope of the common man.