The National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by Kabiru Gaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the victory of Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), in the Kano South senatorial election.
The three-man panel tribunal, headed by Justice R.O Odogu, held that Gaya’s petition was grossly incompetent and consequently upheld Sumaila’s election.
The judge said, “The tribunal affirms the declaration of Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila of NNPP as winner of the Kano South Senatorial District election held on 25th February 2023.”
The tribunal also awarded N200,000 as costs against Gaya in favour of Sumaila.
It is instructive to note that Gaya, who represented Kano South Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly under the APC, issued a statement in February, congratulating Kawu Sumaila of the NNPP for winning the senatorial seat for the zone, and also declared that he would not seek any legal redress, insisting that it was the work of God Almighty.
But Senator Gaya later petitioned the Tribunal, challenging the propriety of Kawu Sumaila’s victory.
Senator Kawu Sumaila is the Senator representing Kano South Senatorial Zone in the upper chamber of 10th National Assembly.
