JUST IN: Kano Tribunal Sacks NNPP Rep Over Forgery

The National and State House of Assembly elections petition tribunal, in Kano on Thursday nullified the election of member representing Tarauni Federal Constituency at the house of representatives Muktar Yerima.

Yerima was declared winner of the February 18th 2023 election under the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hafizu Kawu.

But the three-man panel of the tribunal led by Justice I.P. Chima held that Yerima was not qualified having forged his primary school certificate.

According to the tribunal, the case of the petitioner, Hafizu Kawu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging Yerima emergence succeeded having proven a case of forgery against the NNPP candidate.

The tribunal therefore held that the NNPP had no candidate in the election and all the votes that were cast for Yerima were wasted votes.

It thereafter directed INEC to withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to Yerima.

The tribunal had held that Yerima’s defence that he had made 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 disown the certificate tendered by the sacked lawmaker.