Kano residents march to government house, allege plot to influence tribunal verdict

Residents of Kano, on Monday, staged a protest at the government house over an alleged plot to influence the verdict of the governorship election petition tribunal. 

Flora Azinge, chairperson of Kano state national and state houses of assembly election petition tribunal, had raised the alarm that some lawyers were attempting to bribe judges to influence the verdict of the court.

Azinge alleged that money “has been flying around the tribunal” and warned that nobody should approach her with money or collect any financial inducement on her behalf.

The tribunal had adjourned sitting for the adoption of final written addresses to today.

At the resumed session, the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the tribunal to uphold its petition and return Nasir Gawuna as the winner of the election while the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, the chairperson of the three-man panel, said the judgment would come earlier than the 180 days permitted by law and adjourned sitting.

Earlier in the day, Husaini Gumel, commissioner of police in the state, said intelligence reports revealed that the APC and the NNPP were mobilising for street protests against the tribunal sitting.

“In consideration of the confirmatory intelligence products at the disposal of this police command, all forms of street protests are hereby banned across all parts of the state,” Gumel said.

“Members of the public should therefore note that it has come to our knowledge that both the APC and the NNPP members are currently mobilizing rented crowd in the guise of civil society coalition and without clearance from the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and without prior approval from the security agencies in the state.

“Both organizers as well as the umbrella body should note that any attempt to disrespect NLC and the security agencies in the state, by playing around the fragile security situation, which the combined security agencies have been managing, is not only uncivil, criminal but also an offence against national security.”