Democracy Bleeds in Kano
The mind still recalls the kind of violence meted on the agents and supporters of Abba Kabir Yusuf, the unfair treatment of those who rejected the continuation of the government, the rigging which was visible to the blind, the immature attitudes exhibited by some icons of the government, the gagging and tying of the hands of CP Wakil (Singham), the silence of those who were direly needed and expected to speak. Such silence of theirs became a licence to the continues rape of democracy.
Democracy being an epitome of the choice of the people seems contradictory in the blessed city of Kano, especially looking at how it still bleeds from the injuries it sustained from such merciless rape by the powers within and outside the state. Kano is ruled by force and never by choice of its people.
It was after the election that Abba K. Yusuf, somewhat unwillingly, took the matter to the election tribunal sitting in Kano, to recollect not only a stolen but a robbed mandate. But as it turned out to be, on 2nd October, 2019, the tribunal delivered its judgement in favour of the sitting governor. Lady Justice cannot see if one looks at its statue; this shows that justice is blind; it can go anyway contrary to one’s anticipation. I do not know whom to blame for this, the lawyers of Abba K. Yusuf or the Election Tribunal? But I will be unfair if I do not go through the briefs of arguments of the parties, the evidence tendered before the courts and so on. Or is it the technicality of our legal system that did not favour Abba as it also did to Adeleke? Or is it that the respondent (Ganduje) removed the veil over the eyes of Lady Justice which blinded her, then saw the man and discovered he was the governor? These are questions that bother me.
But to the common man, to the objective analysts, to those who promote the course of justice, to those who consider circumstances that surrounded the re-run election, to those who are true democrats, the Kano election petition should have been decided in favour of Abba K. Yusuf. However, it is a decided matter (res judicata).
Nevertheless, same legal system says a party can appeal to the appellate court if he/she is dissatisfied. I am not as hopeful as I used to be about getting victory by Abba. What I know is that the downfall of a man is not the end of his life. Then, I also know that another election is surely coming and I assure you that Abba is surely coming.
Abdul Mutallib Muktar abdulmutallib. muktar@gmail.com