Tribunal affirms win of Kano NNPP representative

Sagir Koki of the New Nigeria Peoples Party defeated Muntari Ishaq Yakasai of the All Progressives Congress in the Kano Municipal House of Representatives election that took place on February 25, 2023, according to the National/State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, which met in Kano on Thursday.

In its ruling, the three-judge panel presided over by Justice Flora Azinge found that the petitioner had failed to substantiate the claims of excessive voting and a failure to collate results in 25 of the constituency’s polling places during the election.

The tribunal claimed that the petitioner was unable to substantiate his claims of irregularities since he provided insufficient and improbable witnesses.

The tribunal also concluded that the petitioner’s witnesses were “second-hand and hearsay witnesses.”

“The witnesses stated under oath that they were not in the polling places where the alleged overvoting happened. They are not deserving of belief.

“None of the witnesses introduced evidence that is not believable to be believed because it is based on their personal experience.

“He also submitted unrelated papers to establish the charges of anomalies, overvoting, and not being in conformity with the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Without the petitioner producing the BVAS Machine and the Voter record in every polling location where the overvoting is alleged to have taken place, the tribunal would not grant the reliefs requested by the petitioner against the respondents.

“The petitioner failed to satisfy the respondents’ burden of proof.

“We have no obligation to prevent Sagir Koki from being returned and declared by INEC as the victor of the Kano Municipal Federal House of Representatives Election held on February 25, 2023.

“The Respondents are hereby granted N100,000 in costs against the Petitioner.

Justice Flora declared, “The petition is hereby rejected for lack of proof.”