Tension looms over Kano State after a Governorship Election Tribunal overturned the election of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
In response to escalating unrest, the state government imposed a 24-hour curfew effective from 6 p.m., according to Commissioner of Police Mohammed Usaini Gumel.
Gumel warned that lawbreakers would face arrests and prosecution, announcing that combined security forces have been deployed throughout the state to ensure safety.
The move follows the tribunal’s electronic judgment, which mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revoke Yusuf’s certificate of return and reissue it to Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The tribunal, led by Justice Oluyemi Osadebay Akintan, cited Yusuf’s absence from NNPP’s official member list and invalidated 165,663 votes due to ballot irregularities.
Despite the police presence, shops, malls, and offices in Kano’s major markets shut down as residents hurried home. Trading halted in areas such as Sabon Gari, Kantin Kwari, and Singer markets. Additionally, Ado Bayero Mall, the city’s largest shopping center, closed its doors.
While some celebrated the tribunal’s decision, others, like NNPP state chairman Hashim Suleiman, denounced the verdict as unjust and vowed to appeal. APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Gawuna praised the ruling, urging citizens to remain peaceful.
The judgment has rippled through other states where governors’ legitimacy has also been challenged in court. Tensions are notably high in Plateau State, where the APC is contesting the election of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Unease has also been reported in states like Kaduna, Nasarawa, Ogun, Katsina, Delta, Lagos, and Ebonyi. Both sides await verdicts, raising concerns about the stability and integrity of the electoral process in these states.
