Supreme Court rejects Shekarau, affirms Hanga for Senate

The Supreme Court has affirmed Rufai Hanga as the senator-elect for the Kano Central senatorial district under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

In a unanimous judgement of the panel prepared by Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, the apex court disqualified the former governor of Kano State and former Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau as the candidate of the NNPP in the February 25 National Assembly election.

Reading the judgement, Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim said the panel held that appeal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which insisted that Shekarau was the senator-elect, lacked merit and substance, and thereafter dismissed it.

The apex court upheld the decisions of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, that Hanga was the senatorial candidate of the NNPP for Kano Central following Shekarau’s withdrawal as a member of the party and senatorial candidate due to irreconcilable differences he had with the party leadership.

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However, not satisfied with both the verdicts of the High Court and the appellate court, INEC appealed the judgements.