Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has commended President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for not interfering with the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Kano governorship election despite alleged pressure to influence the decision.

The governor accused the immediate past governor of the state and National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, of pressuring President Tinubu to influence the court verdict, which according to him was rebuffed by the President.

This is contained in a statement the Director General of the Media and Publicity, Government House in Kano, Bature Tofa, issued on behalf of the governor on Sunday evening.

It was reported on Friday that Nigeria’s apex court had affirmed the declaration of Yusuf by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the validly elected governor of Kano State in the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

It had been reported that both the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal had earlier nullified his victory and pronounced Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the poll.

Reacting to the judgement in a statement on Sunday, Governor Yusuf commended President Tinubu and his deputy, Shettima for their steadfastness in the face of alleged pressure to interfere with the apex court’s ruling, despite strong opposition from various quarters.

The Government House spokesman, in his statement, said, “Referring to the alleged efforts by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to use the Presidency to sway the Supreme Court’s decision in favour of Gawuna, Yusuf said Tinubu and Shettima’s unwavering stance was a testament to Nigeria being in capable hands.”

The governor, however, extended an olive branch to his rival, Gawuna, who lost in the Supreme Court, emphasising the need to focus on building Kano now that the political contest is over.”

“As a true democrat and progressive, I call upon my opponents and their supporters to join me in the endeavor to develop our beloved state of Kano for the betterment of its citizens,” the statement partly read.