•Appeal Court stops Abacha, Lado
By Augustine Madu West (Kano) and Joe Nwankwo (Abuja)
President Goodluck Jonathan (fourth left); his Deputy, Namadi Sambo (middle); and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee during a visit to the Villa in Abuja ... on Wednesday.
In Kano, non-indigenes and non-Muslims say they may boycott the Governorship vote on April 26 because of lack of security, as demonstrated in the killings and destruction over the Presidential poll, wreaked by thugs sympathetic to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
The state is the stronghold of the CPC.
Non-indigenes and non-Muslims are protesting the killing of their members and the destruction of their homes, following which several thousands now take refuge in barracks and churches.
Some of their leaders, who did not want their names in print for fear of reprisals, said “It is doubtful if we will participate in the Governorship election after the mayhem that trailed the presidential election.
“As it stands now we will allow the indigenes to do it alone so that whatever happens will be their own problems.”
They noted that many have died and several others lost their homes and are refugees in their own country, therefore, “it will be difficult to convince anyone to be part of the Governorship poll.”
However, state Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Ransome Bello, who had condemned the attack on non-indigenes and Christians, disclosed on Wednesday that he has been pleading with the two groups to participate in the Governorship election, even though their position is legitimate.
Bello, General Overseer of Calvary Life Assembly, said “We have been talking with them trying to change their minds, but if we don’t succeed there is nothing we can do about it.”
There is an uneasy calm although soldiers have taken total control to restore normalcy.
Hunger has set in, nevertheless, because of shortage of food items, including bread.
The few foodstuff available attract high prices, even a sachet of water, which price has doubled.
Business remained paralysed on Wednesday as banks, markets, shops, and other places of business were shut.
State Superintendent of The Apostolic Church, Felix Olotu said about eight branches of the church were burnt, with many lives lost and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.
The churches were in Naibawa, Zango, Dakata, Dambatta, Jogana (Kano State); Hadejia, Jahun (Jigawa); Azare, and Yana (Bauchi).
Olotu said it is sad to see an election considered free and fair by both local and international observers lead to the killing of Christians in the North.
He canvassed an open dialogue among religious leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders in Kano to foster a better understanding among different ethnic, political, and religious groups.
Commissioner of Police, DanAzumi Doma, announced on Wednesday that 74 out of about 109 suspects arrested over the riots have been charged to court.
Allegations against the remaining 23 are still being investigated, he said, adding that 12 others have been set free after it was discovered that they did not participate in the attacks.
As for the Governorship poll itself, the Court of Appeal in Abuja held on Wednesday that former House of Representatives Speaker, Amimu Masari, is the candidate of the CPC in Katsina State.
It nullified the candidature of Yakubu Garba Lado.
The court also ruled that Lawal Isa is the CPC candidate in Kano State, upholding his appeal against the decision of the Abuja Federal High Court which had declared Mohammed, son of the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, as the candidate of the party.
In two separate judgments read out by Justice Jimi Bada the court upheld Masari’s appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court which on February held that Lado was the CPC Governorship candidate in Katsina.
Bada said the lower court erred in law when it failed to consider the affidavit and documentary evidence of the CPC and the fact that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party has the final say on candidates.
The panel of three Justices – Bada, Muhammed Lawal, and Regina Nwodo – held that CPC constitution and guidelines are binding on the respondents and that the party’s primaries on January 15 were not backed by the CPC National Executive Committee (NEC) or the BoT.
The court held that the state CPC Chairman who forwarded the name of Lado and 46 other candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had no such powers and had usurped the functions of the BoT.
Bada said the primaries on January 13, won by Masari, was the one authorised by the party.
In the case involving Kano, the court held that the counter affidavit filed by Isa was not controverted and there was no reason not to believe that the primaries were inconclusive, and that Abacha was jailed abroad for money laundering.
It held that in the affidavit by N.U. Suleiman, who chaired the Electoral Committee, he stated in his report that Abacha sent one Sani Usman with N1 million to him as bribe and promised to send him more money if he announced him as the candidate.
This claim was not controverted, the court remarked.
It also noted that it was canvassed in the counter affidavit that there was violence which stopped electoral officers from reaching nine councils and that the results of 14 councils were forged.
Bada said: “With the above scenario, can one say that the election on January 12 was conclusive? Therefore, the trial Judge was wrong by holding that (Abacha) won the primary election.
“The judgement given by the lower court is hereby set aside and the appeal succeeds.”
Both Abacha and Lado said they would appeal the cases.
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