Police Attack Journalists Covering Kano Governorship Tribunal Judgement

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Nigerian Police Officers, on Wednesday, attacked some journalists covering the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Court.

The tribunal is set to deliver its judgment in a petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

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According to Daily Trust, one of its reporters, Salim Umar Ibrahim and BBC Hausa Reporter, Zahraddeen Lawal, were attacked in Court.

Trouble reportedly started between the journalists and the Police when he asked them to move about 10 meters from the Court premises. In the process, some other policemen pounced on them, alleging they were taking pictures.

While some went after the BBC reporter trying to seize his phone, others held the Daily Trust reporter and forcefully collected his phone, damaging the screen.

Meanwhile, the expectation of the judgment has generated tension in the state, with both parties organising prayers to seek God’s assistance.

The judgment expectation has also led to the sacking of a commissioner who issued death threats to the tribunal judges.

The adoption of final written addresses, the respondents to the petition: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Yusuf and NNPP all urged the tribunal in their separate final addresses to dismiss the petition while the APC urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and return Nasir Gawuna as the winner of the election.

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Counsel to the APC, Offiong Offiong (SAN), submitted that the evidence the petitioner had tendered before the tribunal had established that Governor Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP before the election and, as such, could not have been duly elected.

He also submitted that the respondents were not able to deny that there were deficiencies in some of the over 130,000 ballot papers used to declare Yusuf as the winner and that if those were minus from the total tally, his client would instead emerge the winner of the March 28 election.

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