Outrage over tribunal’s description of Kano NNPP supporters as bandits
The description of members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as “red cap wearers, violent and terrorist cults, bandits and bitter losers” by a member of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has continued to generate controversies across the social media, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.
Recall that the tribunal had on Wednesday sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the NNPP as Kano State governor in a unanimous judgement read by the chairman of the three-member panel, Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay.
But while the tribunal had resolved all the grounds of the petition in favour of the APC and declared its candidate, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna as the winner of the March 28 gubernatorial polls, the consenting judgement of Justice Benson Anya, member II of the panel has gathered more attention, especially on the social media where excerpts of the judgement have been trending.
Justice Anya had said that Governor Yusuf presided over a state where anarchy was being supported and agents of the government were allowed to malign the judiciary.
“The judges of this tribunal were harassed, intimidated and made to run under cover. What is the offence of the judiciary,” Justice Anya queried.
Recall that days before the verdict of the tribunal, Governor Yusuf had sacked one of his cabinet members for issuing death threats against the tribunal judges should the judgement not favour the NNPP, a development that was said to be a reason the judgement was delivered virtually.
In a copy of the judgement seen yesterday, the judge stated, “They (Gov Yusuf and his party took the position as was widely reported in the media, both print and social, that if they lost the case they would kill the judges. They threatened to bring unrest and banditry to Kano State.
“My message to the bandits in politics who want to take power by force is that the judiciary cannot be intimidated.
“A party that loses a case or anticipates the loss of his case can only prepare to appeal against the decision of the lower court. This is what is obtainable in a civilised society. Kano State, as we all know, is a cradle of civilisation. No party on the account of losing a case or on the basis of speculation of the possible loss of a case threatens to go a rampage against the court and the judges.
“I use this opportunity to condemn the gang of red cap wearers who, like a violent and terrorist cult, chased us out of Kano and put us in the fear of our lives. We believe that only Allah is the giver of power. Those who believe in Allah must bow to his will and submit to the authority of governmental power.
“Resorting to anarchy, violence and killing can never be a source of lawful power. Threatening to put judges in the danger of their life as done in Kano by some disgruntled bandits parading as politicians is hereby condemned,” the judge said.
The judge, who went on to refer to them as “bitter losers,” called on the security agencies to ensure that the threat issued against the tribunal is not swept under the carpet.
“Instead of some Kano politicians to be allowed to use banditry and violence to abort democracy in the state, justice will be used to stop them from destroying democracy. We do not want anarchy and terrorism as being promoted in Kano State and as threatened by them,” he added.
Sharing his thoughts on the choice of words, Senator Shehu Sani, on his official X account, wrote, “In the tribunal judgement that was crafted to remove Osun Governor Adeleke, Buga dance was mentioned. In the tribunal judgement that was crafted to remove Kano’s Governor Abba Yusuf, this is the pattern.”
Under his tweet, while some users expressed displeasure with the choice of words, others said the NNPP brought it upon themselves with the threats issued against the tribunal judges
Similarly, another user of the microblogging site, Muhsin Ibrahim wrote, “Some things don’t add up here. Of course, a few government officials threatened the judges, but why this?”
Salihu Tanko Yakasai, a gubernatorial candidate in the same election wrote, “Read what the Kano tribunal judges had to say about “gang of red cap wearers” in their ruling. Incredible!”