The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Katsina declared two House of Representatives elections won by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates invalid on Sunday due to the falsification of primary school transcripts.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must hold a second election in some polling places where polls were not held during the February 25 election in order to establish the winner after the Tribunal deemed two elections inconclusive.
Sani Danlami Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) petitioned the Tribunal, challenging Aminu Ahmadu Chindo of the PDP’s declaration and return. A three-member panel of the Tribunal, presided over by Justice O. Ogunfowora, ruled on the petition, finding that the Respondent had failed to establish that he had attended the former Kofar Soro Primary School.
The petitioner claimed that the first respondent (Chindo) had submitted a falsified letter of recommendation from primary school. He pointed out that the statement submitted to INEC by the third respondent, bearing the name Kofar Soro Primary School, was fabricated, according to Daily Trust.
Since the 1st Respondent was ineligible to run for office, he requested that the Tribunal declare him the election’s victor.
In its decision, the Tribunal stated that “the first respondent, Aminu Ahmadu Chindo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is hereby declared ineligible to serve as member of the House of Representatives for Katsina Central Federal Constituency, Katsina State.”
The Tribunal also determined that Sani Aliyu, the first petitioner, was legitimately re-elected to the House of Representatives to represent the Katsina Central Federal Constituency, and it ordered INEC to provide him with a certificate of return.
As a result, the judges fined PDP and Chindo, the first and second respondents, N200,000.00 in costs.
The petition was based on section 66(1)(i) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which states that presenting a false certificate to INEC disqualifies a candidate for either a Senate seat or a seat on the House of Representatives. Earnest Obunadike, the lead attorney for Hon. Sani Danlami, explained the decision in detail.
The court also overturned the return of PDP member Ismail Dalha, who represented the Kankia/Kusada/Ingawa federal constituency, for falsifying his primary school diploma.
According to the tribunal, Hon. Abubakar Yahya of the APC, who received 31,017 votes to finish second in the poll, should receive a certificate of return from INEC.
The Kankara/Faskari/Sabuwa federal constituency election result, in which the APC candidate, Hon. Dalhatu Shehu Tafoki, contested the win of Hon. Mohammed Jamilu of the PDP, who was returned by INEC, had been deemed inconclusive by the tribunal.
The court mandated new elections in some of the constituency’s polling places and additional polls in other places.
Sagir Tahir, one of the attorneys defending the petitioners, clarified that while there was overvoting in some polling places, voting did not occur in others.
As a result, the court used the margin of lead concept and ordered additional elections to make sure that no eligible voter was denied the right to vote.
The Batsari/Safana/Danmusa federal constituency election result, where the APC candidate, Ahmed Zakka Abdulkadir, disputed the win of Hon. Iliyasu Abubakar of the PDP, who was returned by INEC, was also deemed inconclusive by the Katsina tribunal.
In addition, the court mandated new elections in some polling places and a rerun in other ones in the constituency.
