An Election Petition Tribunal presiding in Niger State has nullified the victory of All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate in the bye election conducted for Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency held on March 14 which the party candidate, Alhaji Kasim Danjuma won.
The judgement was sequel to the petition filed by People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidate on the ground that the APC candidate was not qualified to have contested the election for submitting forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
According to the petitioner, Mr Emma Alamu, APC candidate presented fake primary school certificate and forged declaration of age to secure INEC clearance for the election.
In its judgement, the three man tribunal headed by Justice B. F Zubairu in a unanimous judgement upheld the petition and declared the victory of Kassim Danjuma null and void.
The tribunal said the petitioner has proved beyond reasonable doubts that the first respondent presented forged documents to the INEC which enabled him to contest the election.
The tribunal subsequently annulled the election and directed INEC to conduct fresh election in the constituency within the next 90 days.
It also ruled that kassim Danjuma and his party the APC will not be eligible to contest in the bye election.
Other members of the three man panel are Justice A O Lajide and Khadi Usman.
Counsel to the petitioner, Mohammed Ndayako hailed the judgement of the tribunal describing it as victory for democracy .
He noted that the judgement would teach all those aspiring for public offices to always remain above board and avoid taking short cut to victory.
The APC had recently lost three local government chairman seats to the PDP on similar grounds.
