BY ABDUL LATEEF TAIWO
Indeed, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was very right to have announced that it recorded over 1,689 court cases arising from the 2019 general elections. More than 890 of the cases were pre-election matters arising from the conduct of political party primary elections, while 799 were election petitions at the various tribunals across the country. Owing to these court cases, Festus Okoye told politicians happy of their victory as announced by INEC owing to the situation on ground that time not to jubilate yet has come to pass as tribunal tsunami has swept so many Senators, House Members, State Assembly Members to either the Appeal court or back to their homes to start preparation for 2023.
Fear and anxiety are no longer the case as most of the assembly members know their fate as at last week Friday. Some lawmakers will be remembered for voting on the day of inauguration while some will abandon the headship of committee given to them as a ‘thank you’ for supporting either Mr. Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, Senate President, Distinguished Sen. Lawan and various state houses of assembly Speakers. Like the INEC rightly said the numbers of cases are much but here are some of the states affected
BAUCHI STATE: The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Bauchi nullified the election of Abdulkadir Umar Sarki, the member representing Katagum Federal Constituency.
Ibrahim Mohammed Baba of the All Progressives Congress, APC had earlier filed a petition challenging the declaration and eligibility of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP candidate as the winner in the last NASS election.
The three man panel presided by the Chairman, Hon. Justice Bello M. Tukur had in a unanimous judgment on Thursday, 29th of August nullified the election of the honourable member on the grounds that the elections ought to have been declared inconclusive as there were cancellation of results in seven polling units wherein the total registered voters exceeded the margin of lead between the candidate returned as elected and the runner up.
- The tribunal further ordered a rerun election and withdrawal of the Certificate of Return issued to the member by INEC. Abdulkadir Umar Sarki is heading for Appeal court.