Election petition tribunal sacks Sokoto Reps member
Story from Uji A. ILIYASU
National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal for Sokoto/Zamfara, sitting in Sokoto, on Monday, sacked a member of the House of Representatives representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency, Umar Yusuf Yabo, also known as Danmaje.
The tribunal, in a unanimous ruling, further ordered the sacked lawmaker to pay N500,000 as damages to the petitioner.
The three-member panel of judges led by the tribunal chairman, Justice Ashu A. Ewah, declared the election of Danmaje as null and void.
Other members of the tribunal include Justice Helen Hamman Joda and Justice Ali Changbo.
Justice Ewah said the election which was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 and rerun election on 3 Feb. 2024, was marred by malpractices as such declared it inclusive.
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The tribunal also ordered INEC to organise and conduct another rerun election within the next 90 days from today.
The election is to be conducted in two affected polling units of Shagari local government area.
The Tribunal, therefore, ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Danmaje and conduct the election in the affected polling units within 90 days.
Proofreading, editing by Uji A. Iliyasu, Editor at Neptune Prime
