Sophia Michaels
The election of Abdulmumin Jibrin of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as House of Reps member representing the Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency has been upheld.
His election was upheld by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed the appeal by Muhammad Said Kiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for being unmeritorious.
In the judgment read on Wednesday by Justice Anthony Ogakwu, the court upheld the earlier judgment by the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano, which had dismissed Kiru’s petition against Jibrin Kofa of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The Court of Appeal awarded N100,000 cost in favour of Jibrin and against the appellant.
The tribunal had, while dismissing Kiru’s petition on September 6 held that he failed to call cogent witnesses to prove disenfranchisement during the conduct of the election.
It further held that the documents tendered by both the petitioner and the respondents showed that Jibrin resigned his position as Executive Secretary of the Federal Housing Authority, 30 days before the conduct of the Election against the assertion by the petitioner.
The Tribunal held: “The petitioner has failed woefully to prove that there were Electoral malpractices and not in compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act, 2022 as amended.
“This petitioner is hereby dismissed for lack of merit. The sum of N100,000 cost is awarded jointly and severally against the petitioner in favour of respondents.”
Respondents at the tribunal were the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jibrin, and the NNPP.
