July 15, (THEWILL) – The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal for Sokoto/Zamfara States sitting in Sokoto has sacked a member of the House of Representatives representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, Umar Yusuf.
In a unanimous judgement read by the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ashu A. Ewah, the Court declared the February 3, 2024, re-run polls conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) inconclusive.
INEC had on February 4, declared Umar Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency election, defeating his rival, Abubakar Umar of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Declaring the election null and void, the Tribunal, on Monday, ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Danmaje and conduct a fresh election in some polling units of the constituency within 90 days.
The election is to be conducted in four affected polling units of the two local government areas of Yabo and Shagari in the federal constituency of the state. The four polling units include three in Shagari LGA and one polling unit in Yabo Local Government Area, respectively.
The affected polling units are Dagawa Maji Kira, Dagawa Mai Zane, Shiyar Magaji, Kesoji Shiyar Hakimi, Jaredi Maji Kira and Mazoji, all in Shagari and Yabo local government areas of Sokoto State.
The Tribunal further ordered Umar Yusuf to pay a sum of N500,000 as damages to the petitioner, Abubakar Umar, as a cost of action instituted against his election at the Tribunal.
THEWILL reports that other members of the Election Tribunal include Justice Helen N. Hammanjoda and Justice Ali T. Changbo.
