Tribunal sacks another NNPP legislator, declares APC candidate winner

The election petition tribunal in Kano State, yesterday, nullified the election of Idris DanKawu of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and declared his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Munnir DanAgundi, winner of the Kumbotso federal constituency ballot.

DanAgundi’s victory came less than 24 hours after the tribunal nullified the election of Datti Umar, representing Madobi/Kura/Garum-Malam federal constituency, on the platform of NNPP.

Umar got his candidature nullified because he did not resign his employment with Bayero University Kano (BUK) before the election.

Prior to the two consecutive judgments in favour of APC, Muktar Yarima of the NNPP, representing Tarauni Federal constituency of Kano, had lost his seat to Hafizu Kawu of APC at the tribunal.

In a unanimous judgment of the three-man panel delivered by Justice I. P. Chima, the tribunal invalidated the election of DanKawu, a House of Representatives member, for certificate forgery.

According to Justice Chima, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate tendered by the NNPP candidate was forged; hence, it was nullified.

The tribunal, however, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give the APC candidate Certificate of Return (CoR).

DanAgundi, former Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, had lost the February 25, 2023 election to NNPP.