The Federal Court of Appeal
sitting in Kaduna on Friday nullified the election of the member, House of
Representatives representing Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency of Katsina state,
Hon. Mansir Aliyu Mashi of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court which affirmed the
judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal, which had earlier ruled on the
matter, however ordered the third respondents in the appeal, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in 15 polling
units where the elections were either marred with irregularities or did not
hold.
Election Petition Tribunal which
sat in Katsina after the by-election had on 15th November, nullified the
election of Hon. Mansir Aliyu Mashi on the ground that election was marred with
irregularities, ranging from ballot box snatching, failure of election to hold
in some polling units among others and ordered fresh election in those polling
units.
Delivering the Appeal Court
judgement on Friday, the Presiding Judge of Court of Appeal, Kaduna, Justice
Umani Abba Aji, said the lower tribunal was right in its rulings, which
nullified the election of the first appellant, Hon. Mansir Aliyu Mashi.
Justice Abba Aji in his judgment
said, since, evidences and exhibits presented before the court have shown that
the elections in the said polling were marred with irregularities and the
number of registered voters from the affected polling units if they were not
disenfranchised can change the outcome of the election, the right thing to do
is to have a fresh election in the polling units.
Speaking shortly after the
judgment, counsel to one of the respondents, the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP)’s candidate, Hon Nazif Bello Yusuf, Barrister Napoleon Idenala, said they
were satisfied with the judgement.
He said the court has once again
reaffirmed that impunity cannot be tolerated in the society.
Also reacting to the case,
Chairman of the PDP in Katsina State, which is one of the respondents in the
appeal, Alhaji Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, expressed satisfaction with the judgment
said his party was prepared to mobilise its supporters and win the election.
He explained that all concerned
authorities must wade in to ensure that the ruling part, APC does not violate
the electoral laws like the previous election.
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