SAN FRANCISCO, May 03, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, nullified the election of a member-elect representing Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency of Adamawa state, Abdulrauf Modibbo for age falsification.
Justice Inyang Ekwo held that Modibbo, who was declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, held on October 7, 2018, in Yola, and eventually represented the APC in the 2019 general elections, which he won, was not qualified to contest both elections.
Modibbo’s closest rival Mustapha Usman had challenged the victory in court alleging that the APC candidate had falsified his age and was not eligible to contest the primaries.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo stated that the plaintiff had successfully proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Modibbo falsified his age severally and submitted the same to INEC in other to contest the elections.
The judge also held that Modibbo was a serving National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) member when he contested the primary election and his action is in breach of section 4 of the NYSC act 2004 and should be discouraged from happening.
“In view of the disqualification of the first defendant Abdulrauf Modibbo, the plaintiff Mustapha Usman who polled the second highest votes in the primary election; the second defendant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency of Adamawa state which held on the 7th day of October 2018 is the lawful winner of the primary election and therefore the candidate of the APC for the Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency of Adamawa state for the 2019 general elections.”
He added that “a person who is a lawbreaker cannot be a lawmaker. This illegality is one that cannot be wished away.”
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