After a prolonged 27-month legal battle, Hon. Shehu Dalhatu Tafoki, has emerged victorious, securing his position as the legitimate winner of the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa federal constituency seat in the 2023 general elections.
The legal tussle, which began in June 2022 as a pre-election matter, reached its conclusion this week with the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruling in favour of Tafoki.
The conflict originated when Hon. Tafoki was taken to the Federal High Court by Hon. Murtala Isah Kankara, challenging his candidacy as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer.
This legal challenge was ultimately resolved by the Supreme Court, which confirmed Tafoki as the rightful candidate for the constituency.
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In the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Jamilu Mohammed, was initially declared the winner by a slim margin of just above 800 votes.
However, Hon. Tafoki contested the result, arguing before the election petition tribunal that elections had not occurred in 20 polling units across two local government areas, which together had 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.
The PDP candidate appealed this judgment, but the Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal’s decision, leading to the rerun. Following the supplementary election, Hon. Tafoki was declared the winner.
Undeterred, the PDP candidate once again petitioned the tribunal, challenging Tafoki’s victory in the rerun. The tribunal dismissed the petition, citing a lack of merit due to failure of the plaintiffs to substantiate the allegations.
The PDP then escalated the case to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where a panel of three justices, Hamma Akawu Barka, Jumbo-Ofor and Samuel Admola Bola, upheld the tribunal’s judgment in favor of Tafoki.
Tafoki’s colleagues at the natioal assembly, his party leadership in the state as well as his constituents have rejoiced his victory at last.
Reacting to the final judgment, Hon. Tafoki expressed his gratitude to God and thanked Katsina State Governor Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda for his unwavering support.
He also pledged to focus on his legislative responsibilities, promising to surpass his previous achievements as Deputy Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly.
He prayed for God’s intervention in ending the menace of banditry and other forms of criminalities in his constituency, Katsina State and the country in general.
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