The National/State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, which was sitting in Kano on Thursday, confirmed that Sagir Koki of the New Nigeria Peoples Party prevailed over Muntari Ishaq Yakasai of the All Progressives Congress in the Kano Municipal House of Representatives election, which took place on February 25, 2023. Yakasai was the candidate for the All Progressives Congress.
In its decision, the three-judge panel led by Justice Flora Azinge ruled that the petitioner failed to show the claims of overvoting and non-collation of results in 25 polling units within the constituency during the election. This was the conclusion that the judges reached in their verdict.
The judge ruled that the petitioner was unable to show the charges of irregularities since he did not offer enough credible witnesses to back up his claim.
In a similar vein, the tribunal came to the conclusion that the witnesses produced by the petitioner were “second-hand and hearsay witnesses.”
The witnesses stated under oath that they were not present in the polling units where the alleged instances of overvoting happened. They do not deserve for anyone to have faith in them.
“None of the witnesses presented any evidence that contradicted the evidence that was gained from their own direct experience. They all maintained that the evidence was trustworthy.”
In addition to that, he produced papers that were irrelevant to support the charges of anomalies, overvoting, and not being in line with the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The reliefs requested by the petitioner against the defendants will not be granted by the tribunal,” the judge said, “unless the petitioner presents the BVAS Machine and the Voter register in each of the polling units where the overvoting is said to have occurred.”
“The petitioner was unable to meet their burden of proof in their argument against the respondents.
“We have no obligation to block the return and declaration of Sagir Koki by INEC as the victor of the Kano Municipal Federal of House of Representatives Election that took place on the 25th of February 2023.
“The amount of N100,000 is hereby awarded in favor of the Respondents against the Petitioner in the cost dispute.
In her ruling, Justice Flora stated, “The petition is hereby rejected for lack of evidence.”
