The National and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Kano has nullified the election of candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Muktar Umar Yerima as a member representing Tarauni federal constituency.
A three-member tribunal in a judgement delivered on Thursday, ruled that the primary school certificate submitted by Yerima to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to support his qualifications, was forged.
The tribunal further directed INEC to withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to Yerima.
The petitioner, Hafizu Kawu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenged Yerima’s emergence, claiming he wasn’t qualified.
The tribunal had held that Yerima’s defence that he had a change of name in 2022 did not hold water, having been using three (Umar Mukhtar Zakari) names on his international passports since 2009, while his primary school certificate still bears Umar Mukhtar.
It also held that the said primary school, Hausawa Primary School, has disowned the certificate tendered by the sacked lawmaker. Therefore, it was ruled that the NNPP had no candidate in the election.
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