Kano APC, state attorney general disagree over court of appeal judgement

By Musa Baba Adamu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has given 48 hours ultimatum to the Kano State Attorney General, Haruna Dederi to retract or give evidence that the Appeal Court justices that delivered judgment on Kano governorship election were compromised.

The party also called on Dederi to mention names of those who interfered in the judgement or face legal action.

Kano APC State chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Abbas, gave the ultimatum in a petition dated November 23, and addressed to Dederi.

Abbas said this in the petition titled, “Injurious, malicious and false statement against the judiciary and our party on a live television program and a voice note going round in the social media: Demand for retraction.”

He recalled that on the 23rd November, 2023, Dederi featured on Channels Television breakfast show, wherein he made damaging and serious allegation of corruption against the Judges of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Justices of the Court of Appeal that heard and determined the appeal of Abba Yusuf and New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) filed in Appeal No CA/KN/EP/GOV/KAN/34/2023, Yusuf Abba Kabir v APC & 2 Ors.

Abbas added that in the said interview, while commenting on the judgment of the Tribunal that sacked Yusuf, Dederi maliciously and falsely alleged that the decision of the Tribunal to deliver judgment via zoom was because of interference.

He said: “Consequent upon the above, I therefore demand that you come forward and mention the names of those who have hands in interfering with the judgment of the two courts.

“This will go a long way in cleansing the society of corruption. It will also clear my name and be protected against unnecessary attacks your comment has subjected me to.

“But if you have no proof of the serious allegation you made, I demand that you publicly apologise to me and my party for the embarrassment you caused us.

“I therefore by this letter, give you an ultimatum of 48 hours to back your allegations against the Judges and Justices that they were influenced to give judgment contrary to the law as you claimed.

“Please note that if you fail to meet with my demands as stated above, I shall not hesitate to file a petition against you at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, as well as institute an action for defamation against you in court, and this we shall do without further recourse to you.