The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Sokoto, on Tuesday, nullified the election of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Sahabi Umar as the member representing Binji Constituency in the State House of Assembly and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct supplementary elections in some areas.
According to Dailytrust, the affected polling units are: Rumfar Marina and Kusa Da Garkar Magaji Margai in Maikulki ward, Shiyyar Sarkin Aski in Binji ward and Tumunin Magaji in Soron Gabas ward.
Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Hamman Idi Polycarp, gave the ruling while delivering judgement in the case brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon. Bature Mohammed Binji, against the election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Sahabi Umar.
He ordered the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return issued to Umar. Justice Polycarp said that the declaration of Umar as the winner was premature, untimely, null and void.
He noted that there was a substantial non-compliance that had affected the outcome of the election, stressing that there should have been supplementary polls.
Justice Polycarp declared that the margin between Umar, who scored 11,995, and Bature with 10,580, was 1,415, which is less than the 2,378 registered voters in the affected polling units.
