National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Olatunde Oluwasola
In a significant ruling, the National and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Kano has overturned the election victory of Hon. Muktar Umar Yarima, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), representing Tarauni Federal Constituency.
The tribunal found Yarima guilty of certificate forgery and ordered his removal from office.
The three-member tribunal panel determined that the primary school certificate presented by Yarima was indeed forged.
Consequently, the tribunal directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to officially declare Honourable Hafizu Ibrahim Kawu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, as the rightful winner of the Tarauni Federal Constituency election. The ruling also mandates INEC to promptly issue Kawu a Certificate of Return.
The case stemmed from the 2023 general elections, where Yarima was initially declared the winner by the returning officer, Garba Galadanchi. Yarima secured 26,273 votes, surpassing Kawu of the APC, who garnered 15,931 votes.
However, Kawu, a former member seeking re-election, lodged a complaint with the tribunal, alleging that Yarima’s victory was tainted by a forged certificate and various instances of irregularities, including over-voting and failure to adhere to electoral regulations.
The tribunal’s decision reflects a commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that elected officials meet the necessary eligibility criteria.
