September 11, (THEWILL) – The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Mina has sacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member representing Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State in the National Assembly, Joshua Audu Gana.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Joshua, the son of Jerry Gana, as the winner of the February 25 National Assembly election for the Federal constituency after he polled 47,942 votes to defeat his closest rival, Abdullahi Usman Gbatamagi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 40,003 votes.
But Gbatamagi, in a petition filed before the Tribunal through his Counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), contended that the election was conducted in total disregard to the new Electoral Act.
The petitioner argued that the margin of win was less than the permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the polling units where elections were not held or were cancelled.
Delivering the judgment on Monday, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice Sylvester Godspower, upheld the argument of the petitioner.
Consequently, the tribunal invalidated the votes in the 26 polling units of the constituency, reducing the votes of Gana to 46,494 votes while that of Gbatamagi stood at 39,159 votes, leaving the PVCs collected in the affected polling units at 14,411.
It set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Joshua Gana by INEC and ordered the Commission to conduct a supplementary election in the 26 polling units within 90 days of the judgment.
About the Author
