If you don’t appeal, I will sign execution order – Ganduje

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, says he will not hesitate to sign the execution order of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a singer in the state.

The 22year old singer Yahaya Aminu Sharif was sentenced to death by an Upper Shari’a Court sitting at Hausawa Quarters in Kano, for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

He was found guilty on a one-count charge bordering on derogatory comments contained in one of his songs, which he circulated via WhatsApp early in the year.

The Shari’a court Khadi, Aliyu Muhammad Kani had delivered the ruling, finding Yahaya guilty.

You would recall that it was reported that Hundreds of angry youths had stormed the Kano Hisbah board headquarters in protest against what they considered an assault on prophet Muhammad.

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria had asked the state government to execute the judgement, saying it will serve as a deterrent to others.

The Governor of the State, has however come out to say that if the singer does not appeal the ruling after 30 days, he would sign the execution order.

Ganduje was reported to have said “Kano State government has accepted the judgement passed on blasphemy. Also, the Kano State government has accepted the provision of the constitution of Nigeria that the person who is convicted has a right to appeal.”

He further stated that “And while he is appealing, the governor has no right to sign the warrant until all the right of appeal are exhausted up to the Supreme Court”.

“We assure the people of Kano that once all the means have been exhausted and the death penalty has been confirmed by the highest court of the Federation, that is the Supreme Court, the governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje would not waste time. I will sign the warrant for the execution of this judgement”.

“Also if after 30 days, the convicted person does not appeal his case and there is no evidence that he has appealed the case, then the governor of Kano State also would sign the execution order.”