South-West Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), Dr Babatunde Oke, has chided the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) over the Court of Appeal judgment which ruled that Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, is not a member of the NNPP.
The party noted that the APC and the court have no right to determine who is a member of the NNPP.
Oke made this known on Sunday in a statement in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital in reaction to the judgment of the Court of Appeal which on Friday, affirmed the tribunal judgment which declared the Kano state APC candidate, Nasiru Gawuna winner of the governorship election.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Friday, the Appeal Court held that Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election, because he is not a member of the NNPP.
But Oke in the statement said, the Appeal Court judgment will be overturned by the Supreme Court, saying political parties have supremacy over their own affairs.
He said from the previous judgments, it has been ascertained that political parties have supremacy over their own affairs and no court can inquire into the membership or leadership of a political party.
“The issue of membership of a political party is internal and it’s outside the purview of court’s jurisdiction. It is a matter which only political parties can decide. To inquire into such would amount to a Court poking into the internal or domestic affairs of the party.
“In the case of Tinubu vs Obi, the same court ruled that the candidate’s membership is a party affair.
“In the case of Abba vs Gawuna, the same court ruled that it has jurisdiction to interfere in the party’s membership. Same country, same court, same judges but different judgement, this is surprising. APC should not destroy the judiciary”.
In the documents attached to the statement signed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the name of Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf name was clearly shown on 56209 of the NNPP members registration.
“Where did the Appeal Court and APC got its own membership register, where Abba Kabir Yusuf name was not found.
“Our National Secretary, Dipo Olayoku, on June 23, 2023 requested a true certified copy of Kano membership registration that was submitted to the INEC before the election.
“The letter which was addressed to the Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, tittled: Request for certified true copy of updated NNPP membership register submitted to the commission.
“The letter reads: We hereby request for the Certified True copy of our updated Party Membership Register earlier submitted to the Commission.
“This certification of our copy of the register becomes necessary for Court processes involving our Party.”
. TheWitness
