The Supreme Court has confirmed Mister Rufai Hanga as Senator Elect for Kano Central Senatorial District on the New Nigeria People’s Party platform.
The Supreme Court also removed former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau as the NNPP’s candidate in the February 25 National Assembly Election.
Making a Decision In an appeal brought before it by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Court upheld the decisions of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, both in Abuja, which had previously upheld Rufai Hanga’s candidature as the party’s candidate.
In the Judgment prepared by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji but delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Supreme Court held that the INEC’s appeal lacked merit and substance and dismissed it.
The Federal high court and the court of appeal had in their previous judgment upheld Rufai Hanga as the Senatorial Candidate of the NNPP for Kano Central following the withdrawal of Ibrahim Shekarau as a member of the party and Senatorial Candidate due to irreconcilable differences he allegedly had with the party.
Rather than obeying the federal high court order, INEC appealed the judgment at the Appellate Court and lost.
Not satisfied with the Judgments of the Trial and Appellate Courts, the electoral body proceeded to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgements which upheld Rufai Hanga as the lawful candidate of the NNPP Kano central Senatorial District.