The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Katsina has nullified the victories of two members of the House of Representatives and declared two others inconclusive.
In a judgment by the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora, the tribunal nullified and set aside the election of Aminu Chindo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as a member representing Katsina Central Federal Constituency.
The judges also held that the first petitioner, Sani Danlami of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is thereby returned as a member of Katsina Central Federal Constituency of the House of Representatives and a cost of 200 thousand naira was awarded to the first and second respondents in favour of the petitioner.
In a petition filed by Danlami against the declaration and return of Chindo, with PDP and INEC as other respondents, the petitioner accused the first respondent of presenting a forged primary school testimonial, which the court said the defendant had failed to prove that he had attended the then Kofar Soro Primary School.
Similarly, the tribunal nullified the return of the member representing the Kankia/Kusada/Ingawa federal constituency, Ismail Dalha of the PDP because he presented a forged Primary School Certificate.
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The tribunal ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Abubakar Kusada of the APC who came second in the election with 31,017 votes.
In a related development, the tribunal had earlier declared as inconclusive the Kankara/Faskari/Sabuwa federal constituency election result, where the APC candidate, Dalhatu Tafoki, challenged the victory of Mohammed Jamilu of the PDP, who was returned by INEC.
The court ordered fresh elections in 20 polling units and supplementary elections in other polling units of the constituency as a result of over-voting in 90 days.
Similarly, the tribunal also declared as inconclusive the Batsari/Safana/Danmusa federal constituency election result, where the APC candidate, Ahmed Zakka challenged the victory of Iliyasu Abubakar of the PDP, who was returned by INEC.
The court ordered fresh elections in some polling units and rerun in other polling units of the constituency.
The tribunal had earlier affirmed the election of Abdulazeez Yar’adua of the APC as the senator representing Katsina Central challenged by PDP’s Sirajo Makera.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
