The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal for Sokoto/Zamfara states, which met in Sokoto on Monday, dismissed Umar Yusuf Yabo, a member of the National Assembly representing the Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency, also known as Danmaje.
In a unanimous verdict, the three-judge Tribunal ordered the ousted lawmaker to pay the petitioner N500,000 in damages as a cost award.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ashu A.Ewah, declared Danmaje’s election as a member of the House of Representatives null and unlawful.
The tribunal also includes Justice Helen HammanJoda and Justice Ali Changbo.
Justice Ewah stated that the election, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 and rerun in February 2024, was characterised by malpractices.
The Tribunal directed INEC to organise and hold another rerun within the next 90 days.
The election will be held in two affected polling units in Shagari Local Government Area.
The Tribunal further ordered INEC to revoke the certificate of return granted to Danmaje.
The legislator, who ran on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, defeated his nearest opponent, Abubakar Umar of the All Progressives Congress (APC), 27,042 to 25,738 in the state’s first court-ordered runoff.
Meanwhile, Danmaje stated that he intends to challenge the Tribunal’s decision.