The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal for Sokoto/Zamfara States has nullified the election of Umar Yusuf Yabo Danmaje, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Yabo/Shagari federal constituency of Sokoto State.
News About Nigeria reports that the Tribunal, sitting in Sokoto on Monday, also ordered Danmaje to pay N500,000 as damages to the petitioner, as costs for the legal action challenging his election.
The decision effectively sacks Danmaje from his position as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Yabo/Shagari federal constituency.
In a unanimous judgement read by the Tribunal chairman, Justice Ashu A. Ewah, the Court declared the election of Danmaje as a member representing the Yabo/Shagari federal constituency in the House of Representatives as null and void.
Other members of the Tribunal include Justice Helen N. Hammanjoda and Justice Ali T. Changbo, respectively.
Justice Ewah said the election, which was initially conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 and rerun on February 3, 2024, was marred with malpractices by some polling units, hence, the exercise was inconclusive.
The Tribunal also ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Danmaje and conduct a fresh election in the affected 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 where INEC was asked by the Tribunal to conduct the election are three polling units in Shagari LGA and one polling unit in Yabo local government area, respectively.
The affected polling units include 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.
