Drama over support for incumbent Kano state governor and the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) candidate in the last February election, Abba Yusuf, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr Yusuf Nasir Gawuna, laying claim to victory in the North West state, took a dramatic twist on Tuesday as over 500 lawyers volunteered to back the latter candidate at the Supreme Court.

The lawyers under the platform, The Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law pledged at a press briefing in Abuja.

Recall that certain lawyers, numbering 200 at the weekend, vowed to give voluntary legal service to the incumbent Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, in his pending appeal before the apex court.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, spokesperson of the platform, The Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, Barrister Joseph E. Onwudiwe, raised concern over a deliberate plot to blackmail the judiciary to give judgement in favour of the NNPP.

In an apparent reference to the controversy trailing the clerical error in the Certified True Copy of the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the victory of Dr Yusuf Nasir Gawuna, the Forum said it was not a misnomer for mistakes to be cited in the CTC of the pronouncement of the justices.

The lawyers urged the NNPP to exercise restraint and wait for the final verdict of the Supreme Court on its appeal pending before it.

He said the importance of the judiciary in keeping our democracy alive and thriving can never be overemphasised.

It is on this background that we implore the Supreme Court to dispense justice in this appeal before it without taking into consideration the distractions and attempts at blackmail.

We are with the judiciary, and we assure them of our unflinching support as they move to save Nigeria’s democracy from vote riggers and election fraudsters.

We must sanitise our electoral system now and build a strong democratic wall against vote inflation and other electoral malfeasance.

“Consequently, we are calling on peace-loving Nigerians to arise in defence of our cherished democracy from these desperate politicians who are using every illegal means to blackmail our judiciary into giving authenticity to electoral fraud by allowing a man who manufactured over 165,000 to seize power at the expense of the overwhelming yearnings and aspirations of the majority of Kano citizens, as clearly expressed in the valid votes cast at the March 18 Kano governorship election.

“Our democracy is stronger and bigger than any group or political party. The African continent has witnessed many democracies being truncated in recent times. We warn the Kano Governor, the NNPP, and their agents to desist from taking actions that threaten our nascent democracy.

“The valid votes cast by Kano citizens must be upheld irrespective of the threats of fire and brimstones from vote manufacturers.

It is based on these and in defence of democracy and the authentic winner of the March 18 Kano gubernatorial election, Gawuna, that we, the over 500 lawyers from across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, decided to join the defence team of Gawuna at the Supreme Court.” (Nigerian Tribune)