Tribunal Orders Processes To Be Served On Majority Leader

National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Sitting in Kano has ordered court processes to be served on the majority leader House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa through substituted means.

The Election Petition Tribunal also ordered that all the processes be pasted on Kano APC Secretariat, located at Hotoro, Kano Metropolis.

This turn of event was sequel to a fresh petition filed by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and its candidate, Air Commodore Salisu Yusha’u Ahmad (rtd) challenging the outcome of the rerun election conducted in Tudun Wada/ Doguwa federal constituency, including the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to schedule the rerun election in the constituency.

It was gathered that the tribunal sometimes in April struck out the petition filed by NNPP and its candidate which sought to stop the rerun in Tudun-wada/Doguwa federal constituency.

Justice L.B Lawal-Akapo, who presided over the proceedings at National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to halt INEC from conducting the rerun.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the petitioners approached the court of Appeal Kano Division with a prayer to set aside the tribunal decision.

Similarly, in a judgement delivered on Friday, May 5, 2023 by Justice Goerge Mbaba, the court struck out the appeal for lack of jurisdiction and affirmed the decision of tribunal and ordered the petitioner to file petition before the tribunal if they were not satisfied with the conduct of the Tudun-wada/Doguwa rerun election.

In compliance with the court of appeal order, NNPP and its candidate Yusha’u filed fresh petition before the tribunal, challenging the outcome of the rerun including the INEC decision to schedule the rerun when the election was alleged to have been marred by irregularities and malpractices.

In a chat with newsmen counsel to the petitioners, Muhammad argued that the returning officer of INEC clearly stated in public that he made Doguwa/Tudun-wada Federal Constituency’s result declaration under duress and informed INEC of what transpired.

“We are now before the tribunal seeking it to set aside the outcome of the rerun election conducted in TudunWada/Doguwa Federal Constituency and order for a fresh election in the Constituency,” the counsel further said.

He alleged that the election which produced Alhassan Ado Doguwa was marred by irregularities and malpractices, praying the tribunal to set aside the certificate of return issued to him and order a fresh election to be conducted in Tudun Wada Doguwa federal constituency.