The Court of Appeal in Abuja has voided the election of Senator Ishaku Abbo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Adamawa North in the National Assembly.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abbo winner of the February 25, 2023 parliamentary election, but Amos Yohanna, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, rejected the result and headed for the court.
The tribunal, in its judgement, dismissed the Yohanna’s petition for lacking in merit.
Further dissatisfied with the tribunal’s decision, the PDP’s candidate, through his counsel Johnson Usman (SAN) approached the Appeal Court via appeal number: CA/YL/EP/AD/SEN/06/2023 between Rev. Amos Kumai Yohanna and another Vs Ishaku Elisha Cliff and others.
The Court of Appeal, after hearing arguments from parties, agreed with Usman that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed that there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court, thereafter, deducted the invalid votes from the parties and found that Yohanna and PDP won the election by majority of lawful votes.
The three-member panel presided over by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, in a judgement, ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Yohanna as validly elected lawmaker for the senatorial district.
Reacting to the judgement, Mr Sam Ologunorisa, (SAN), said he had nothing to say since “the Court of Appeal is the final court.”
When contacted on his reaction to the judgement, lawyer to the APC, Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), said he had nothing to say until he sees the judgement.
“I was not in court when the judgement was delivered. So, I will have to see the judgment before I can comment on it,” he said.
The other members of the panel include Justice M.I Sirajo and Justice O.A Adegbhinde.
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