Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has called for a comprehensive review of judgments delivered by the Court of Appeal, resulting in the removal of three opposition governors.
In an interview on Channels TV last Sunday, Falana emphasized the importance of scrutinizing these decisions.
Abba Yusuf (Kano), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) were declared duly elected governors by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the March 2023 governorship elections.
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However, the Court of Appeal overturned these outcomes in separate rulings, affecting members of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Court of Appeal declared Nasir Gawuna, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, the winner in Kano while ruling that the Zamfara State poll was inconclusive, mandating a fresh election in three local government areas.
In Plateau State, the appellate court ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to APC’s Nentawe Goshwe.
Falana, during the interview, highlighted the contrasting situations in Lagos and Plateau, pointing out the High Court’s judgment in Plateau requiring primaries, which was disregarded.
Femi Falana Speaking In An Interview With Channels TV
Speaking during the interview, Falana said, “If you look at what happened in Lagos is different from what happened in Plateau. You are being told in Plateau that there was a judgment of the High Court to the effect that primaries have to be conducted. The judgment, as usual, was dishonoured and disobeyed and the election went on.
“It is different from Kano where you are being told that voters can be punished. It is a very dangerous judicial policy to sanction voters for the mistake of electoral officers.
“We are being told that 165,000 votes are wasted, they are invalid because some electoral officers committed an error by not stamping them. How does that affect the validity of the election?
I do hope that this time around, the Supreme Court will resolve these needless controversies surrounding the non-stamping of ballot papers by INEC officials who have not been recommended for any sanction.
“This is why these judgments will have to be reviewed.”
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He criticized the judicial policy in Kano, where voters could be penalized for electoral officers’ errors, questioning the impact of unstamped votes on election validity.
Expressing hope for Supreme Court intervention, Falana underscored the need to address controversies related to the non-stamping of ballot papers by INEC officials without recommended sanctions. This, he argued, is the basis for advocating a thorough review of these judgments.
