“Payment Delay Hinders Kano Gubernatorial Tribunal Proceedings”

Pretrial proceedings in the ongoing petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to challenge the victory of Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) faced a delay on Tuesday.

The cause of the delay was the inability of the petitioner’s counsel to pay a mandatory fee required for the proceedings to commence.

Nuraini Jimoh, the lead counsel for the APC, informed the Tribunal that technical issues with the network prevented them from generating the required REMITA, a payment platform, to remit the sum of N700 to the Federal Government.

Technical Issues Delay Pretrial Session in Kano Gubernatorial Petition

The pretrial session in the ongoing petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the victory of Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) faced a delay due to technical difficulties. The APC’s lead counsel, Nuraini Jimoh, informed the court that they encountered network issues preventing them from generating REMITA, a payment platform, and uploading the necessary pretrial session forms.

Jimoh requested an adjournment to allow the petitioner to file the pretrial forms within the required timeframe. In the petition, the APC is seeking a declaration that Abba Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election and questioning the validity of votes cast for the NNPP. Abba Kabir Yusuf’s counsel, Chief Awomolo Adegboyega, SAN, argued that the APC’s petition lacked merit and competency.

The respondents, represented by counsel to INEC, Barrister Emmanuel Osayomi, and Abba Kabir Yusuf’s counsel, Chief Awomolo Adegboyega, SAN, did not oppose the adjournment but requested the opportunity to file an application to amend processes.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that INEC made an error by referring to the APC as the “All Progressives Party,” requiring clarification. The petitioner’s counsel requested time to review the application before deciding whether to object or not.

The Tribunal set June 7, 2023, as the date to hear INEC’s application and commence the pretrial session.