By Dapo Akinrefon 

Ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Kano State governorship election, a popular Islamic cleric and a leading Tijjaniyya doctrine, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi has urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, to ensure that the governorship election petition of the state is treated by the apex court with caution, justice and fairness.

Sheikh Dahiru made this appeal in a statement on Saturday.

The cleric in a letter addressed to Justice Ariwoola, which was stamped “received” by the CJN’s office, described Kano as the  “commercial and religious centre of the entire Northern Nigeria.” 

He, however, warned that a judgement against the will of the people could snowball into violence and killing of innocent souls because of the volatility of the state.

The letter reads: “Kano State has since been the commercial and religious centre of the entire Northern Nigeria. It’s pertinent therefore;

“…that peace, unity and order that have woven Nigeria together ever since the dark days of Nigerian civil wars should be maintained at all cost, no other time than now as the world undergoes economic turbulence. 

“Nigeria cannot, at this moment, afford another civil war; which is mostly ignited from unattended agitations of the people.

“I therefore, write to reiterate that the proceedings of the review of the Appeal Court should be administered with utmost fairness and justice without fear nor favour against the will of the people explicitly expressed through their civic rights, so they may not feel their votes have been stolen nor swept away.

“Your Lordship, this indeed is the unanimous opinion of the scholars and clerics as well as the concern of the northern elders; above all, the view of the northern populace and Nigerians at large.”

The cleric said northern clerics, elders and Nigerians would unanimously conclude that Kano people’s vote was stolen if the Supreme Court upholds the Appeal Court’s verdict sacking Governor Abba Yusuf.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the NNPP seeking affirmation of its candidate, Abba Yusuf, as governor of Kano State. 

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s letter comes months after retired Justice Muhammad Dattijo, during his valedictory speech, made scathing remarks about the judiciary, explaining why Nigerians hate the judiciary.