The State Security Service (SSS) has categorically denied allegations that its operatives arrested one of the judges who presided over the Kano State Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal. The Chief Press Secretary to the Kano State governor, Sanusi Bature, had claimed in an interview with Channels Television that the judges were intimidated and arrested by security agencies.
In response to these allegations, the spokesperson for the SSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, stated in a conversation with PRNigeria that the claims made by the governor’s spokesperson are baseless and ridiculous. He emphasized that there is no reason for the SSS to arrest a judge without any suspicion. Dr. Afunanya firmly dismissed the notion of any such arrests taking place.
Meanwhile, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the tribunal judgment, deeming it as “most unfair.” The acting deputy national chairman of the party, Nwaeze Onu, highlighted during a press conference in Abuja that this judgment could undermine public confidence in the judiciary.
Mr. Onu stressed the difficulty faced by the tribunal in convincing non-partisan Nigerians that the NNPP only won the governorship race, while losing all other elections in Kano State. He pointed out that the NNPP’s presidential candidate, Sen. Musa Kwankwaso, triumphed over the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, with a significant margin. In addition, the NNPP secured victory in two senatorial seats and 18 House of Representatives seats, compared to APC’s one senatorial seat and four House of Representatives seats.
Mr. Onu expressed his belief that the NNPP would regain its mandate, which was freely given by the people of Kano State, within the framework of the law and the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
