Tribunal sacks NNPPs Reps, Yusuf Datti Umar, orders INEC to issue certificate to Kwankwaso

BY GODWIN OBI

The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano, Sunday, invalidated the victory of Yusuf Datti Umar as the winner of the February 25 elections for Kura/ Madobi/Garin- Mallam Federal Constituency in Kano State.

The tribunal led by Justice Ngozi Flora Azinge voided the victory of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) member of the House of Representatives on the grounds that he failed to resign his appointment with Bayero University, Kano, 30 days before the election as prescribed by law.

The tribunal, therefore, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set aside his certificate and issue a fresh one to the petitioner, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, having scored the second highest number of votes in the said election.

The tribunal stressed importance of the electoral rules and regulations, adding that it remained crucial to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process

Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, who ran on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed gratitude to Allah and pledged to serve his constituency and the people of the state as a whole.

Frontline reports that this is the second of House of Representatives seats to be lost by the New Nigeria People Party in the state having lost Taurauni Federal Constituency as a result of forged certificate.