Katsina NASS Seat: Tafoki Validly Elected – Appeal Court

Engr. Shehu Dalhatu Tafoki, the former deputy speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, has been confirmed as the validly elected candidate and winner of the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa federal constituency election in the 2023 polls.

This ruling was delivered by the Appeal Court in a petition filed by Jamilu Mohammed, the defeated candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the earlier ruling by the Election Petitions Tribunal, which affirmed Tafoki’s victory.

The three-man panel of the appellate court, comprising Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Jumbo-Ofor and Samuel Ademola Bola, supported the tribunal’s judgment in favour of Tafoki. The court’s decision effectively ended a 27-month legal battle over the representation of the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa federal constituency, which began in June 2022 as a pre-election matter.

Tafoki’s struggle to represent the federal constituency started when his opponent in the APC primary, Hon. Murtala Isah Kankara, challenged his candidacy in court. The Supreme Court ultimately resolved the issue, confirming Tafoki as the rightful APC candidate.

With his candidacy affirmed by the highest court, Tafoki contested the general election, where the PDP’s Jamilu Mohammed was initially declared winner by a narrow margin of just over 800 votes. However, Tafoki contested the result, arguing before the election petition tribunal that elections had not been

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conducted in 20 polling units across two local government areas, with over 10,000 registered voters.
The tribunal ruled in Tafoki’s favor, declaring the election inconclusive and ordering a rerun in the disputed polling units. Although the PDP candidate contested this verdict, the Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal’s decision. Following the rerun, Tafoki emerged victorious, defeating Jamilu Mohammed to secure the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa federal constituency seat.

The PDP candidate challenged the rerun result at the election petition tribunal, seeking to nullify Tafoki’s victory. However, the tribunal dismissed the petition due to the plaintiff’s failure to substantiate his allegations. Undeterred, the PDP candidate took the case to the Court of Appeal, which again ruled in Tafoki’s favor, ending the prolonged legal dispute.

Following the final judgment, Hon. Tafoki expressed his gratitude to God and thanked Katsina State Governor Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda for his unwavering support. He pledged to focus on his legislative duties and promised to surpass his previous achievements as Deputy Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly. His colleagues in the National Assembly celebrated Tafoki’s victory, the state party leadership, and his constituents.