The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election tribunal’s judgment sacking Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State. In its ruling on Friday, the court agreed that Yusuf’s candidacy breached electoral law as he was unqualified to contest the election.

This verdict comes nearly two months after the tribunal nullified Yusuf’s victory on September 20th. It declared APC candidate Nasiru Gawuna as the rightful winner of the March 18th governorship election.

Yusuf, who ran under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), was originally declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, the tribunal deducted 165,663 invalid votes from Yusuf’s total. It found these ballots were either unstamped or unsigned, violating regulations.

The latest appeal ruling represents a reversal from March when Gawuna conceded defeat to Yusuf after INEC issued the NNPP candidate a certificate of return. Gawuna had stated he accepted the outcome as a “good Muslim.”