The Supreme Court has set Friday (12 January) as judgment day on an appeal filed by the governor, Mr Yusuf, challenging his sacking from office by two lower courts.
Nigeria's ruling party, APC, is so hopeful of victory in Kano State that its local chapters have started distributing celebration dresses to members.
Local chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State have distributed new party dresses to members for a planned swearing-in of its candidate, Nasir Gawuna, ahead of the Supreme Court judgement on the governorship election in the state.
The development followed fasting and animal sacrifices observed over the week by members of the APC and those of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the state. The two parties had asked their members to pray for a favourable Supreme Court judgement.
The NNPP called on its members to fast for the success of its candidate and current governor of the state, Abba Yusuf, while supporters of the APC candidate, Nasir Gawuna, engaged in reciting the Qur'an and sacrificing animals at their bases.
Kano, the most populous state in northern Nigeria, is a predominantly Muslim state and the APC and NNPC have been at loggerheads to govern the state. The NNPP candidate was declared the winner of the March 2023 governorship election in the state but the APC challenged the declaration and secured victory at the tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court, Nigeria's highest court, is expected to give a final ruling on the matter this week.
On Sunday, PREMIUM TIMES saw many members of the APC in Fagge Local Government Area distributing the new dress adorned with President Bola Tinubu's cap symbol. The party leaders urged members to fast-track sewing the cloth in anticipation of a favourable Supreme Court judgement. Such dress is popularly called aso-ebi across Nigeria when members of a group agree to wear the same dress for an occasion.
Some of the APC members said that they are confident that the Supreme Court judgement will favour their candidate just like that of the appeal court.
One of the APC members, Faisal Ibrahim, said he had sewed his clothes waiting for the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Gawuna as the governor of Kano.
"I have finished preparation for the swearing-in ceremony and I am confident of victory because the evidence we (APC) relied upon and won the cases at the Election Petition Tribunal and the Appeal Court are relevant also at the Supreme Court.
"When you follow the evidence tendered by our party at the initial courts from the beginning you will conclude that victory is by our side. This gave me the courage to prepare for the swearing-in ceremony," Mr Ibrahim, an APC member from the Fagge D1 ward, said.
One of the party leaders in Fagge D1 ward, Ahmad Dangwarzo, said they have distributed many such dresses to their members across the state for the planned swearing-in ceremony of Mr Gawuna.
"The APC leaders across the state are distributing different kinds of clothing in their respective council areas and we are confident of winning at the Supreme Court unless the constitution is changed but nothing will change the judgement of the previous courts," Mr Dangwarzo said.
Also, the North-west APC supporters group in a statement signed by Abdullahi Ganduje's former Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, said they have mobilised their followers to welcome Mr Gawuna to the state ahead of the Supreme Court judgement.
"The Director General of the Confederation of APC Support Groups (CASG), Engineer Kailani Muhammad, mobilises APC supporters from across seven North-west states, in anticipation of the judgement favouring All Progressives Congress (APC).
"Engineer Muhammad believes that, without any intent for court contempt, we are hopeful, praying and committed to believing that, the case before the Supreme Court will favour our gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates, His Excellency Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and His Excellency Murtala Sule Garo respectively."
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"While commending the National Chairman of APC Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, as one of the main brains and architects behind APC's victory at the Tribunal and Court of Appeal, the Director General believes that both Gawuna and Garo would be loyal to the National Chairman, the party and democracy in general.
"It is due to our fervent prayers and belief that we are hopefully hopeful that APC will emerge victorious at the Supreme Court. That is why I am saying, on behalf of the members of the Confederation of APC Support Groups that we have started mobilising our members from the North West zone, comprising 7 states, to celebrate and support the upcoming administration of Gawuna-Garo," Mr Anwar said in the statement.
While the APC members have made arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony of their candidate, the NNPP is yet to reveal its plans.
The Supreme Court has set Friday to rule on the matter.
