NIGER ELECTIONS: Appeal Court Removes Sani Musa, Declares Sen. David Umaru Senator-Elect
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the election of Mohammed Sani Musa as Senator-elect for Niger East Senatorial District.
Consequently, the court declared incumbent Senator David Umaru as the duly elected candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a judgment read by Justice Stephen Adah, yesterday, the appeal court set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja on the grounds that the court didn’t have jurisdiction to mediate in the issue.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was directed to issue Umaru with a certificate of return.
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo had on February 7 dismissed the preliminary objection by Umaru’s counsel, Chris Osuagwu, that Sani Musa’s suit had not been issued at during the stipulated time.
He had submitted that the primary election was conducted on October 2, 2018, while the petition was filed at the court on October 26, 2018, which was outside the 14 days stipulated by the law.
Umaru said the primary election of October 2, 2018, was canceled by the APC for irregularities while the party conducted a fresh primary on October 5, 2018, which he won.
Meanwhile, a counsel the chambers of Wole Olanipekun (SAN), counsel to Sani Musa, has expressed the intention of the legal team to
appeal to the Supreme Court following the decision of the Court of Appeal.