The National and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Kano has delivered a verdict that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape.
Muktar Yarima, the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and previously declared winner of the Tarauni federal constituency election, has been stripped of his victory due to allegations of certificate forgery.
The tribunal, consisting of three members, delivered its verdict on Thursday after a meticulous examination of the evidence presented. The crux of their ruling was based on the revelation that the primary school certificate submitted by Yarima to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in support of his qualifications was, in fact, a forgery.
Muktar Yarima had initially emerged as the victor of the Tarauni federal constituency poll, securing 26,273 votes, and surpassing his closest contender, Hafizu Kawu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who garnered 15,931 votes.
However, this victory was soon marred by the emergence of allegations from Hafizu Kawu, a former House of Representatives member, who was seeking re-election. Kawu, dissatisfied with the results, submitted a petition challenging Yarima’s win.
His petition raised concerns not only about the alleged certificate forgery but also highlighted instances of irregularities such as over-voting and non-compliance with the electoral act during the election process.
After a thorough investigation into the matter, the tribunal delivered a resounding verdict, finding Muktar Yarima guilty of certificate forgery. Moreover, the tribunal questioned the validity of the NNPP’s participation in the election, asserting that the political party did not have an eligible candidate in the race. This led to the tribunal deeming all votes cast in favor of Yarima as invalid.
As a result of this landmark ruling, the tribunal has instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return that was previously granted to Muktar Yarima, effectively stripping him of his position as a member of the House of Assembly for Tarauni federal constituency.
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