INEC Denies Withdrawing From Kano Guber Appeal, Sanctions Official

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied trending reports that it has abandoned the appeal against the outcome of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

INEC in a statement on Saturday signed by its National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun said the letter initially released by its Kano State legal officer claiming a withdrawal was not authorized.

Olumekun in the latest statement said the earlier letter signed by the Kano Head of Department (HOD), Legal, INEC, Suleiman Alkali, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) has been withdrawn and the officer disciplined.

He added that INEC has not withdrawn from the Kano case and has not abandoned the appeal.

The full statement reads:

“The attention of the Commission has been drawn to media reports based on a letter written by the Legal Officer of our Kano State office indicating that the Commission had withdrawn from the appeal process in the ongoing Kano Governorship election petition case.

“We wish to state categorically that the letter was not authorised. It has since been withdrawn and the officer reprimanded.

“The public is therefore advised to discountenance the insinuation that the Commission has withdrawn from the case or even worse abandoned the appeal.

“We wish to state categorically that where litigants join INEC in a case, the Commission is under obligation to respond accordingly. We have therefore instructed our lawyers to proceed in line with extant policy of the Commission. The policy has not changed.”

Naija News recalls that the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal had nullified the declaration of Abba Yusuf by the electoral umpire at the March 18 polls in the state.

The tribunal had also declared the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, election winner and had directed the Commission to issue him a Certificate of Return.