The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reportedly reversed its decision to withdraw its appeal in the Kano State gubernatorial election petition verdict.
According to information obtained on Saturday, INEC initially withdrew its initial letter indicating its withdrawal from the appeal against the Tribunal’s judgment. The letter, signed by Suleiman Alkali, the head of INEC’s legal department in Kano, stated that the appeal was withdrawn without any valid reason.
It was addressed to the secretary of the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and stated that INEC, as an impartial body, had no grounds to appeal any judgment. The National Commissioner in charge of Legal Services and the National Commissioner in charge of Kano zone directed the withdrawal of the appeal, with all processes to be sent to the Kano Office.
However, Alkali later stated that the letter sent to the Tribunal had been withdrawn. When confronted by INEC’s legal counsel, he claimed to have been misled into writing the letter and apologized for his “mistakes.” He did not disclose who had misled him but mentioned that he retracted the letter within 40 minutes of its submission to the Tribunal.
He expressed surprise that it had reached the media, suggesting that some authorities may have wanted to make him a scapegoat, recognizing the sensitivity of the issue.
It’s worth noting that a three-member Tribunal panel had earlier, on September 20, removed Governor Abba Yusuf from office and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.
A Notice of Appeal filed on behalf of INEC by the law office of Dikko & Mahmood on October 3rd indicates that the appeal is still active.
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