I’m not afraid of appeal, Gawuna says after Kano tribunal judgment

• The Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal recently ruled in favour of the APC
• The tribunal also directed the issuance of a certificate of return to Gawuna and the withdrawal of the certificate previously given to Yusuf

Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kano State governorship election held on March 18, has expressed his confidence in facing the appeal challenging his victory at the tribunal.

The Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal recently ruled in favor of the APC, declaring them the winners of the election and removing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from office.

The tribunal also directed the issuance of a certificate of return to Gawuna and the withdrawal of the certificate previously given to Yusuf.

The court found that 165,663 votes were invalid due to lack of stamping or signing, and deducted these votes from Yusuf’s total count. Despite the appeal, Gawuna remains undeterred.

Speaking with BBC Hausa in an interview while commenting on the tribunal judgment, Gawuna said, “I am grateful to Allah for our victory in the Kano State election, which was affirmed by the court today (Wednesday). I thank Him for His will, which chose us to lead. I also thank our lawyers and the general public for their prayers and support.”

Gawuna acknowledged that initially, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was declared the winner of the election. However, he firmly believed that the ultimate outcome had already been decided by Allah.

He stated that they exercised their right to challenge the election results in court, as they believed it was their rightful course of action.

Gawuna emphasized that those who truly believe in the will of Allah understand that nothing happens without His divine intervention.

As a result, they do not become overly concerned or view governance as a life-or-death matter. Instead, they accept that whatever befalls them is ultimately the will of Allah.

According to him, “We are not intimidated or afraid, because we know that whatever happens is for the best. Allah never makes mistakes.”