Frontline APC stalwart and business mogul in Delta state, Prince Sony Jifas Ogbon, has congratulated the APC in Kano state and Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who was declared winner of the March 18, 2023, governorship election in Kano state Friday, by the Appeal Court.
Prince Sony Jifas in a statement, noted that it is high time Nigerian politicians do the right thing by allowing due process no matter who they are and their societal status. He noted that, had Governor Yusuf allowed due process to be, and duly nominated by his party, the NNPP, would have had chances, but said, it seems he was imposed on others in his political party, saying that the result now is catastrophic right from the Elections Tribunal to the Appeal Court.
Prince Sony Jifas also noted that even if he, the sacked Governor Abba Yusuf should proceeds to the Supreme Court, he will also loose as evidence against him were so glaring and conspicuous to be undermined.
While congratulating Nasiru Gawuna, Prince Jifas maintained that power belong to God and also comes from God. He urged him to ensure he delivers the dividends of democracy to the people, not only on pages of Newspapers and Television or Internet, but to be visibly seen and allowed the people testify to it.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, on Friday, held that governor Yusuf was not a valid candidate in the gubernatorial election that held in the state on March 18, stating that a proof of
evidence that was adduced before it, established that the governor was not a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, as at the time the election held.
It maintained that, Yusuf, under section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, was not qualified to contest the governorship election since he was not validly sponsored by the NNPP.
“A person must be a member of a political party before he can be sponsored for an election.
“Sponsorship without membership is like putting something on nothing,” the court held in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice M. U. Adumeh.
It held that the Constitution stipulated that a person shall be qualified for the office of a governor of a state, if he is a member of a political party.
“Membership of a political party is a sine qua non for eligibility to contest a governorship election,” the court held, adding that governor Yusuf’s name was not found in a three volumes of membership registers that the NNPP tendered in evidence.
Besides, the court wondered why governor Yusuf, who was the Appellant, relied on an affidavit that was deposed to by another person, to prove that he was a bonafide member of the political party.
It held that though the issue of membership is a domestic affair of a political party which no court has the jurisdiction to meddle in, “it should be noted that a court will not allow a political party to act arbitrarily. A political party must obey the Constitution,” the court added.
Meanwhile, Prince Sony Jifas Ogbon has also called for calm amongst the other political party as it might not be their turn today but another day.