By Bashir Bello

KATSINA — The National Assembly election tribunal sitting in Katsina State, yesterday, nullified the Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency election, which brought in Mansur Aliyu Mashi as member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives.

House of Representatives

The tribunal also ordered fresh election to be conducted in 15 polling units of the constituency by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, within the next 90 days.

The by-election, which saw the emergence of Mashi (APC), was conducted on May 20, 2017, sequel to the death of the member representing the constituency, Alhaji Sani Bello, on February15, 2017.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Nazifi Yusuf, and the party had gone to the tribunal to challenge the election that the APC candidate, Mashi, was not elected by majority of vote cast, adding that the result was invalid by reasons of non-compliance with the provisions of Electoral Act, since the election was marred by irregularities.

Delivering the judgment, tribunal Chairman, Justice L. M. Boufini, said the tribunal had been convinced that there were election irregularities during the by-election.

However, counsel to the respondent (Mansur Aliyu Mashi), Mr. Earnest Obunadike, said they would appeal against the tribunal’s judgment.

Meanwhile, counsel to INEC, Festus Okoye, in his reaction, said there was no place where the petitioners asked for the nullification of the election but wondered why the tribunal went ahead to nullify the election.

The affected polling units are Tagura YammaIIK/GTagura, Alayida-K/GMAI/Ung, DankadaMakau-K/GDankada, Agala-K/GBage, Agalu-IPrimary School, Guarta-K/GGyarta, FaraII-k/gFara, Kwankewa-K/GAyude, Tona-TasharKalgo, BadauriIII-Kofar GidanMa, Bula ArewaII-Primary School and Dantankari Gabas-K/GMiu.