Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Anxiety has gripped Kano ahead of the judgment by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal tomorrow.
Following the fixing of the date on Monday morning, supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two leading political parties in the election have expressed optimism on the outcome of the tribunal favouring them.
Candidate of PDP, Alhaji Baa Kabiru Yusuf had filed a petition before the tribunal seeking to nullify the election of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of the APC.
Former commissioner for Justice and member of the PDPs legal team, Maliki Kuliya, told Daily Sun that they were confident of victory at the tribunal.
“We have confidence that we would get a favourable judgment because it is very clear the re-run elections was unconstitutional,” he said.
“The REC cancelled the results of 207 polling units across 28 local government areas and in our opinion, he does not have the power to do that.” Asked what the reaction of the party would be if they failed Kuliya said: “We should wait for the judgment first; if we don’t agree with it, we would go upstairs, we can’t say anything until we see the judgment. But we are optimistic of victory.”
A chieftain of the APC, Saleh Jilly, also said they were optimistic of victory.
Saleh said the people of Kano gave their mandate to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and that the governor has been devoted to the cause of the people.
Jilly said the party was not scared about the outcome of the petition.