The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied having a deal with either Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State or the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to compromise the anticipated Supreme Court Judgement in favour of the governor.
Recall that both the election petition tribunal and Appeal Court had sacked Governor Yusuf, and declared the APC candidate, Dr Nasir Gawuna as the authentic winner of the March 18 governorship election in Kano State. But Yusuf has appealed the judgement at the Supreme Court.
The APC also dispelled claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held a meeting or intervened in the matter in favour of Yusuf to remain governor and later defect to the APC.
A statement on Sunday in Abuja, by the Kano State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, said the speculation of an agreement and reconciliation between the NNPP and the APC was a mere rumour.
He said no deal had been struck in order to compromise the anticipated Supreme Court judgement, adding that since the NNPP allegedly started circulating the rumour, its “gullible members” were excited and continued to dish out all sorts of lies.
He said, “The rumour had it that the NNPP has reached out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the matter in favour of the NNPP candidate to remain governor and subsequently decamp to the APC.
“There is nowhere such meeting was held with either Mr President or any leader of the party. President Bola Tinubu is a democrat and strongly believes in the rule of law and the right thing to be done and therefore will not be part of any arrangement or reconciliation to subvert justice and support people who have stolen votes or breach the electoral act to emerge as leaders.
“Kano is very peaceful and the people are conducting their normal business despite all efforts by the NNPP to provoke and incite youths to create unnecessary political crisis in the state.”
Abbas said the APC as a party was not aware of such arrangement and would instead intensify all efforts to pursue its case at the Supreme Court to a logical conclusion.
The Kano State APC Chairman expressed confident that his party would emerge victorious at the Apex Court “especially from the concrete and convincing evidence presented at both the tribunal and the Appeal Court which ultimately led to our party’s success.”
