Patigi bye-election: Tribunal sacks APC candidate, declares PDP’s winner
The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital have on Monday sacked the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Ahmed Rufai Adam, who was initially declared winner of the Patigi constituency State House of Assembly election, in March 14, 2020.
The Tribunal, however, declared candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Muhammad Saliu Yahaya, winner and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue him a Certificate of Return.
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Saliu had approached the tribunal seeking it to nullify the victory of the All Progressive Congress’ candidate, Rufai over false information in the EC9 form submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the judgement delivered by the Tribunal panel, chaired by Hon. Aminat Adamu Aliyu, it was handed down that Adam’s name on the EC9 form is different from the one on his primary school certificate, declaration of age, voters card and in the letter forwarded to the INEC on 15th January, 2019.
Speaking with THE INFORMANT247 correspondent, counsel to the PDP candidate, Barrister Ibn Mahmud, expressed satisfaction over the judgement saying it has reflected the true position of law.
However, the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress rejected the judgment of the tribunal.
A statement issued by the Party’s Publicity Secretary, Tajudeen Aro reads in part, “The judgment was based on the difference between ‘Adam’ and ‘Adama’ on the certificate of the candidate of the APC, even though the PDP never called any witness from the examination body to substantiate its claim that the APC candidate was not the owner of the certificate he tendered for his election.”
