Tribunal sacks APC rep

The election petition tribunal in Katsina has nullified the election of Mansur Ali Mashi, member representing Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency at the national assembly.

The tribunal has also ordered for the conduct of fresh bye-election in 15 polling units in the constituency.

Mashi is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, L.M. Boufini said the tribunal was convinced that there were election irregularities during the May 20 by-election in the constituency.

He said some electorate were disenfranchised from exercising their civic rights, which was against the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Boufini also said the petitioner proved that some voters were not allowed to exercise their civic rights and that the card reader malfunctioned during the election.

NAN reports that he further said INEC had also cancelled results of some polling units where thugs disrupted the election.

The chairman directed that a new election should be conducted within 90 days from the date of the judgment.

However, Earnest Obunadike, counsel to the respondent, said his client would appeal against the judgement.

Nazifi Yusuf, the PDP candidate in the election, had challenged the emergence of Mashi during the bye-election conducted following the death of Sani Bello, lawmaker representing the constituency.