The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal for Sokoto/Zamfara states sitting in Sokoto fired a member of the National Assembly representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency, Umar Yusuf Yabo, popularly called Danmaje.
The three-judge Tribunal, in a consistent ruling, further demanded the fired lawmaker to remit N500,000 as damages to the petitioner as cost award.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ashu A. Ewah, proclaimed that the elections of Danmaje as a member of the House of Representatives invalid.
Other members of the tribunal are Justice Helen Hamman Joda and Justice Ali Changbo.
Justice Ewah said the political race which was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 and a rerun in February 2024, was marred with anomalies.
The Tribunal demanded INEC to organize and conduct another rerun within the next three months.
The election was conducted in two impacted polling units of Shagari Local Government Area.
The Tribunal additionally requested INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Danmaje.
The lawmaker, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated his closest opponent Abubakar Umar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 27,042 to 25,738 after the initial court-ordered rerun in the state.
In the meantime, Danmaje said he would appeal the judgement of the Tribunal.
