The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved its judgment in the high-profile appeal by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, seeking to overturn the recent tribunal decision that nullified his election.

On September 20th, the tribunal made waves by voiding 165,663 of Yusuf’s votes, effectively removing him from office. The shocking ruling came from a three-judge panel headed by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay. According to their verdict, the discarded ballots lacked proper Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stamps and signatures. As a result, the tribunal declared the APC candidate as the rightful winner.

Dissatisfied, Governor Yusuf immediately appealed to restore his mandate. During Monday’s packed hearing, his lead counsel Wole Olanipekun argued passionately that the tribunal created an entirely new legal precedent unsupported by higher courts.

Olanipekun insisted it was the first election ever nullified purely based on unstamped ballot papers. He also challenged the tribunal’s reference to sections of the Electoral Act concerning result forms, whereas ballots were in question. Further, he highlighted the anomaly of a party filing a petition without its candidate as a co-petitioner, yet having the candidate declared winner.

In counter-arguments, lead counsel for the APC Akin Olujimi urged the appellate court to dismiss Yusuf’s appeal. He maintained that existing case law requires proper ballot paper stamping and signatures, which was lacking here. Olujimi also justified the tribunal’s use of the Electoral Act and defended the APC’s right to file the petition without its deputy governorship candidate.

After hearing both sides, the Appeal Court reserved its judgment for a later date.