CurrentReportBlog highlighted on Tuesday how the Court of Appeal introduced confusion in its verdict by favorably resolving all issues in the appeal for Governor Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP). This decision overturned the ruling of the Kano Governorship Election Tribunal that had previously ousted the Governor.
Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a law professor and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), revealed that the Court of Appeal has allegedly reached out to the legal representatives involved in the Kano State governorship election case, requesting the return of the Certified True Copy of its judgment.
As reported by CurrentReportBlog, the Court of Appeal’s judgment created confusion by ruling in favor of Governor Kabir Yusuf and simultaneously setting aside the decision of the Kano Governorship Election Tribunal that initially removed him from office.
The appeal court further directed the All Progressives Congress (APC) to pay Governor Yusuf N1 million. The court document indicated that the appeal court annulled the tribunal’s ruling in the APC’s petition against the governor, resolving all issues against the 1st respondent. Despite these findings, the court paradoxically dismissed the appeal on the grounds of lacking merit.
In response to the court document shared on X (formerly Twitter), Odinkalu expressed dismay at the apparent decay within the Nigerian judicial system. He suggested that the only plausible explanation for the Court of Appeal’s contradictory stance might be a post-deliberation alteration of the judgment.
He stated, “When we say the judiciary in Nigeria is crooked, people wonder how so. Look: the Court of Appeal in the Kano governorship case resolved all the issues ‘in favour of the appellant & against the 1st Respondent.’ Yet it found the appeal lacking in merit & liable to be dismissed. Explain!”
