Headlines
Ganduje vs Abba: The journey to the Supreme Court
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of the All Peoples Congress (APC) and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenger Abba Kabir Yusuf will know their fate this Monday as the Supreme Court delivers its verdict on the rightful winner of the 2019 governorship election.
In this report, KANO FOCUS recalls the political and legal battles that landed the duo at the Supreme Court.
It could be recalled that 52 candidates including eight women contested for the governorship seat on March O9, 2019.
Trouble began with the reported disruption of collation process at Nassarawa local government by high ranking government officials.
Ganduje vs Abba: Supporters pray, fast, ahead of Supreme Court verdict
Massive security in Kano as Ganduje, Abba know fate today
On March 11, the Kano state police command announced the arrest of commissioner for local government, Murtala Sule Garo, and the Chairman, Nassarawa local government, Lamin Sani for allegedly destroying Gama ward election result.
The police also announced that it had taken the Kano state deputy governor, Nasiru Gawuna who accompanied the arrested officials into “protective custody”.
Following this incident, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Riskuwa Arabu Shehu told journalists that the commission would regenerate the election result.
However, the state’s Returning Officer Bello Shehu announced that the election is inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes is higher than the difference between the two leading candidates.
The result announced by INEC, indicated that the PDP candidate polled 1,014,474 votes, while Mr Ganduje of the APC scored 987,819 votes leaving a difference of 26,655 votes.
While the total votes cancelled across 22 local governments including Gama ward of Nasarawa local government were 141,694 votes.
Supplementary Election
On March 24, INEC conducted supplementary elections at 28 out of 44 local governments of Kano state.
The supplementary election was characterized by violence and voter intimidation by armed thugs.
After the supplementary election, INEC declared Mr Ganduje winner having scored 45,876 votes to Mr Yusuf’s 10,239 thereby upturning the result in his favor.
The Returning Officer, Mr. Shehu, announced that Mr Ganduje scored a total vote of 1,033,695 while Mr Yusuf polled 1,024,713.
The winning margin was 8,982 between the two major candidates.
The PDP and its governorship candidate rejected the result and asked INEC to cancel it.
Election Petition Tribunal
On Thursday April 11th, PDP and its governorship candidate filed a petition against the victory of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje as winner of the March 23 governorship election in Kano State as announced by the INEC.
The petition filed by the party before the governorship election tribunal contended that its governorship candidate, Abba Yusuf, won the March 9 election, as such any result other than that was a nullity.
The party also contended that the supplementary election conducted by INEC was unconstitutional and unlawful.
Mr Kabir-Yusuf told journalists shortly after filing the petition “during the March 9 governorship election, the PDP got the highest votes across the 44 local governments in the state.
“To me as the PDP candidate the only election that took place was on March 9.
“The issue of supplementary election as far as PDP is concerned was an illegality which we reject and have nothing to do with.”
On July 16, counsel to PDP, Adeboyega Awomolo, filed a motion on notice seeking the tribunal to grant his clients leave to amend the names of witnesses and their initials earlier presented alongside the petition.
Counsels to Ganduje and the INEC, Offiong Offiong and Adedayo Adedeji objected to the application and urged the tribunal to dismiss it.
In her ruling, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Shamaki, dismissed the application saying that, “If the application is granted it will overreach the respondents and it will be an abuse of court process.”
However, court of appeal sitting in Kaduna granted the application of governorship candidate of PDP, Mr Kabir-Yusuf, to amend its witness list with additional eight “star” witnesses in his case against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Justice Adedotun Adefoke-Okoji, while delivering judgment on the appeal filed by the appellant, granted all the prayers of the petitioner.
Mr Ganduje filed a notice of appeal against the judgment to the Supreme Court, and the apex court upheld the ruling of court of appeal.
On October 2, Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Halima Shamaki had in its unanimous judgment dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and Mr Kabir-Yusuf on grounds that the petitioners failed to prove their claims that the election was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The tribunal also held that INEC was right in declaring the March 9 election in Kano State inconclusive and also in declaring Mr. Ganduje the winner of the supplementary election held on March 23.
It also said that declaring an election as inconclusive where there are lawful reasons is constitutional.
Court of Appeal
On April 11 the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate filed a petition at the Appeal Court against the October 2 judgment of the election petition tribunal.
However, in a unanimous decision delivered on November 22, a five-man panel of the court led by Justice Tijjani Abubakar dismissed the appeal by the PDP and its governorship candidate.
Just In: Appeal Court upholds Ganduje’s election
Kano APC denies PDP claims of plot to change Appeal Court judges
The court affirmed the October 2 judgment of the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal, which had dismissed the petition by PDP and its candidate, challenging Ganduje’s victory at the supplementary election.
Supreme Court
In protest to the court of Appeal verdict, the PDP filed an appeal at Supreme Court.
Rowdy crowd, judge’s illness compel Supreme Court to adjourn hearing on Kano election petition
On January 14, the court fixed January 20 to deliver its judgment.
Ibrahim Khalil
The Kano State Police Command has arrested eight suspects in separate operations targeting drug peddling and thuggery in Panshekara and Kunchi/Ghari Local Government Area.
KANO FOCUS reports that the command disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori.
According to the statement, the operations, conducted on September 9, 2026, were part of the command’s intelligence-driven efforts to tackle drug abuse, thuggery and violent crimes across the state.
It said operatives of the Surveillance Team attached to Panshekara Police Division, acting on credible intelligence at about 2:30 p.m., intercepted eight suspects, including a 21-year-old man identified as Samson Yakubu of Samegu Quarters, at a suspected criminal hotspot.
A search of the suspects reportedly led to the recovery of 15 Pregabalin capsules, five Diazepam tablets, 10 Exol tablets and some quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
The police said the suspects were in custody and undergoing interrogation, while investigations were ongoing to establish the source of the suspected illicit drugs and identify other members of the alleged syndicate.
In a related operation conducted between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. the same day, operatives of the Kunchi/Ghari Division carried out a coordinated market patrol and raid at Matanfada Market.
The command said the area had been identified as a place where youths allegedly intimidate traders and residents during market sessions.
Five suspects were arrested during the operation. They were identified as Abdullahi Isah of Dustin; Haruna Isah of Daqarawa Village; Habu Badamasi of Dan Taimu Village; Gambo Ya’u of Kura Village; and Abubakar Dahiru of Farau Village.
The police said investigation was ongoing to identify and arrest other suspected accomplices, while exhibits recovered during the operation had been taken into custody as evidence.
CP Bakori commended the operatives for what he described as their professionalism and swift response, assuring residents that the command would sustain its operations against drug abuse, thuggery and other violent crimes.
“In line with the IGP’s policing vision and our mandate to ensure a safe and secure Kano, we will continue to be proactive,” the commissioner said.
“We are sending a clear message to criminal elements that Kano State will not be a breeding ground for their activities.”
The command also appreciated members of the public, community leaders and vigilante groups for providing information that aided the operations.
It urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.
The command said all suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The funeral prayer for the late Shehu Kabir Bayero, Barde Kerarriya of Kano and District Head of Dorayi, was held on Thursday evening at Kofar Kudu, Kano Emir’s Palace.
KANO FOCUS reports that the prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Khamsus Salawati Mosque, Kofar Kudu, Malam Bello, and attended by hundreds of people from different parts of Kano State.
Among those who attended were the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Alhaji Umar Faruk; representative of the Emir of Kano, Matawallen Kano, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim Matawalle; Chief of Staff to the Kano State Government House, Dr Sani Wali; as well as district heads and members of the Muslim community.
Shehu Kabir Bayero died in a hospital in Egypt following a period of illness. He is survived by his wives, children and other relatives.
Until his death, the late Bayero served as Commissioner of Police in Gombe and Osun states before retiring from the Nigeria Police Force.
Following his retirement, the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, appointed him as the Barde Kerarriya of Kano and District Head of Takai Local Government Area after the death of his father, the late Kabir Bayero, an elder brother of the former emir.
He later served as District Head of Gwarzo.
Due to his wealth of experience in security matters, the current Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, subsequently reassigned him as District Head of Dorayi, where he was expected to contribute to the sustenance of peace and security in the area.
The late district head was remembered for his service to the state and his experience in security and traditional administration.
May Allah forgive his shortcomings, have mercy on his soul and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Ministry of Education, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has held a planning meeting on the implementation and effective utilisation of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the meeting brought together relevant stakeholders from various ministries, agencies and development partners working in the education sector.
According to Malam Naziru Sirajo, deputy director EMIS and statistics in the Ministry of Education, the meeting was aimed at reviewing the current status of the Nigeria Learning Passport in Kano and developing a coordinated plan to strengthen its implementation, content utilisation, course completion, monitoring of learners’ progress and certification.
The Nigeria Learning Passport is a digital learning platform designed to provide Nigerian children and young people with access to curriculum-aligned educational content, including lessons, learning materials and assessments.
The platform is also designed to support learning continuity, including for learners facing limited or intermittent internet connectivity, while providing teachers and education stakeholders with digital resources to complement classroom instruction.
In Kano, the initiative is expected to strengthen awareness and utilisation of digital learning, while building the capacity of master trainers and technical teams to support schools, teachers and learners in using the platform effectively.
The effective utilisation of the Nigeria Learning Passport is expected to expand access to quality digital learning resources, promote independent learning, strengthen digital literacy and support improved learning outcomes and greater equity in access to educational opportunities.
Kano Police Arrest Eight in Drug, Thuggery Raids
Funeral Prayer Held for Late Shehu Kabir Bayero
Kano holds planning meeting on implementation of Nigeria learning passport
Kwankwaso, Gov Yusuf, Amnesty International Condemn Killing of Ibrahim Khalil Dan Shagamu
Kano Police arrest two suspects over death of Ibrahim Khalil Danshagamu
Kano State Out-of-School Children Survey Report 2026: From Evidence to Impact — A Roadmap For Educational Development
Kano schools to resume Sunday for 2026/2027 academic session
From Grade Level 03 to Director: A 35-Year Journey of Resilience and Service
Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero of Court of Appeal Dies in Egypt
