By Musa Ubandawaki

SOKOTO: The Federal Court of Appeal has affirmed member representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency  Sokoto state Hon Umar Yusuf Yabo (Danmaje) as dully elected member of the national Assembly for Yabo/ ShagarI federal constituency.

  In a swift reaction to the judgement delivered by the Appealant court Yusuf Yabo described the court decision as just  and fair to the people of the Constituency, that elected him on the  25th of February 2023,  which was challenged by his  rival  Umar Abubakar (Danbukari) Yabo of the  All Progressives Congress APC at the appeal court.

 It could be recall that  Election for the office  Member, House of Representatives representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency was conducted on the 25th of February 2023 and Umar Yusuf Yabo was declared  winner of the election and returned dully elected with 2,286 votes as margin of lead and  issued with a Certificate of Return by INEC.

“My opponent from the All Progressives Party (APC) in person of UMARU ABUBAKAR was dissatisfied the said return and filed Petition No. EPT/SK/HR/01/2023 against me and my party (the Peoples Democratic Party) before the National and States Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Sokoto on  the 3rd Day of May 2023 and Judgment of the Tribunal was delivered on the 24th of October 2023 allowing the petition of   my opponent”.

” Further appeal was filed before the Court of Appeal of Nigeria   (Sokoto Division) and which appeal was heard at the Abuja Division of the said Court of Appeal, in Appeal No. CA/S           /EP         /HR        /SK         /46         /2023.   The    Court     of Appeal of Nigeria in its judgment delivered on the 16th            day         of    December 2023 varied the decision of the Tribunal and ordered for   supplementary                 elections to be held in 26 polling units in Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency.”

” The said supplementary elections in compliance with the order of the  Court of Appeal of Nigeria was conducted by   INEC on the 3rd of February 2024 in which I again emerged  as the winner of the election with majority of lawful votes cast and with a margin of lead votes of 716 lawful votes.

“The candidate of the All Progressives Party (APC) was still not satisfied with my return as the winner of the re – run  election and again filed an election petition  for redress seeking for another supplementary elections in four polling units namely: Daga Shiyar Maizane, Kesoji Shiyar Hakimi, Mazoji Magaji 003 and Shiyar Majikira MPS 001 Polling Units.”

At the end of hearing, the Tribunal held that further re – run elections are to be held in ONLY TWO polling units namely Mazoji Magaji 003 and   Shiyar Majikira MPS 001 Polling Units.”

“I was dissatisfied with the decision of the Tribunal and further appealed to the Court of Appeal               of Nigeria in relation to the decision relating to the two polling units. “

“My opponent of the APC also cross appealed against the decision of the Tribunal that ordered that no re run elections are to be conducted for Daga Shiyar Maizane and Kesoji Shiyar Hakimi Polling Units.”

“Alhamdulillah that today the 23rd of  August     2024, the Court of Appeal  sitting in Abuja  has delivered a considered  judgment  and allowed my appeal and specifically said the Tribunal was in error to have ordered for another re-run elections in Mazoji Magaji  003 and Shiyar Majikira MPS 001 Polling Units since there was evidence showing that elections in the polling units were disrupted .”

 The Appeal however stated that under Paragraph 100 (v) of INEC’s Guidelines for the Conduct  of  Elections 2022,  INEC was under no obligation to further conduct another  re –  run  elections  in the said polling units and thereby set aside the decision of the Tribunal as it relates to these two polling units and affirmed Yusuf Yabo as the winner of the re – run election.

 conducted by INEC on the 3rd of February 2024 .

“By the fore stated decisions of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, I have been affirmed as the duly elected member representing Yabo/Shagari Federal  Constituency. Justice has been done. Alhamdulillah.”