APC Loses as Tribunal Gives Verdict on Senatorial Election

• Senator Rufa’i Hanga of the New Nigeian Peoples Party (NNPP) has been reaffirmed as the Kano Central Senatorial District lawmaker
• This was confirmed by the panel at the Kano state election petition tribunal for the 2023 senatorial election
• The panel led by Justice I.P Chima dismissed the petition of the All Progressive Congress (APC) senatorial candidate, Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura

Kano, Kano - The Kano state election petition tribunal for the 2023 senatorial election has affirmed the victory of Senator Rufa’i Hanga as the elected member of the Kano Central Senatorial District.

As reported by Daily Trust, the verdict was issued in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura.

Zaura had filed the petition seeking the nullification of Senator Hanga’s victory at the legislative election.

Read also

"Your days are numbered": APC chieftain predicts governor to be removed after tribunal sacked LP rep member

Senator Hanga, who contested on the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) platform, was declared the winner at the election by Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking on behalf of Zaura, Barr Ishaka Dikko (SAN) appealed to the tribunal to declare his client, arguing that the election that produced Senator Hanga was marred with a series of irregularities that contravenes the statutory stipulations of the Electoral Act.

In their argument, the respondents in the petition maintained that the election was conducted under the ambit of the electoral laws.

Tribunal verdict

Justice I.P Chima, during his judgement, said:

“The petitioner failed to prove non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 therefore the petition is hereby dismissed.

“Consequently, the petitioner is to pay the second respondent NNPP the sum of N300,000 cost and also to pay first, second, third and fourth respondents the sum of N300,000.”

Read also

Primate Ayodele unveils prophecy about disputed Adamawa election, reveals who will win at tribunal

Tribunal Sacks Labour Party's Candidate, Declares PDP Winner

In another development, the tribunal has returned Hon. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP) as it held that Ngozi Okolie (LP) was not duly sponsored by the LP.

The tribunal said that Okolie was not a member of the LP as of May 28, 2022, when the primary election was purportedly held.

Ndudi is the brother of Tony Elumelu, a billionaire businessman and the chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group.

Source: Legit.ng