Amidst the uproar over conflicting interpretations of the Court of Appeal’s judgment sacking Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Bangari, addressed the controversy.
Following the nullification of Yusuf’s election due to his alleged lack of authenticity as a New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) member, the appellate court declared Nasiru Gawuna of the APC as the victor in the March governorship election.
However, as reported by MUK TV on Wednesday, a certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment seemed to contradict the initial ruling, stating that Yusuf emerged as the election winner.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, NNPP’s national secretary, Dipo Olayoku, highlighted the discrepancy, pointing out that the CTC favored their candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Chief Registrar Bangari attributed the discrepancy to a “clerical error” and assured that such errors can be rectified without undermining the court’s decision.
He referenced the court’s authority under “Order 23 Rule 4 of the Court of Appeal Handbook,” allowing correction of clerical errors upon detection by the court or any involved party.
Bangari emphasized that the error, found within the judgment, does not invalidate the court’s findings and reassured that corrective measures would be taken once requests from the parties’ lawyers are submitted.
He clarified that the court possesses the power to rectify such errors as necessary, ensuring the judgment aligns with the intended decision.
