Appeal Court Sacks Jibrin, Orders Fresh Election

The court of appeal siiting in Kaduna  has nullified the election of Jibrin Abdulmumin, lawmaker representing Kiru/Bebeji constituency in Kano state.

Abdulmumin of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of the February election with 41,700 votes, while Aliyu Datti Yako of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 40,385.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, Ajoke Adepoju, the presiding judge, annulled the election on the grounds that the final result contained in Form EC (8)E was mutilated.

Adepoju subsequently ordered for a fresh election for the federal constituency.

In September, the election petition tribunal had ruled that Abdulmumin was the winner of the house of representatives election in the constituency.

As a result, Yako and his party had dragged Abdulmumin and the APC before the appellate court, citing alleged irregularities in the judgement delivered by the tribunal.

Reacting to the judgment, Jibrin said he remaind  unshaken. Jibrin, in a statement on Friday night, faulted the court on the judgment, arguing that it was against the precedents set by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

The lawmaker, who was Director-General for Femi Gbajabiamila to become the Speaker of the House, however, is confident that he would will the rerun.