Tribunal Sacks NNPP Rep Over Certificate Forgery, Declares APC Winner

The National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal has sacked Idris Dankawu of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for forging his West African School Certificate (WAEC) which he submitted for election into the Kumbotso Federal House of Representatives Constituency of Kano State.

Munir Babba Danagudi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who contested against Dankawu, had filed a petition, alleging that Dankawu presented a fraudulent Secondary School Certificate to gain admission into Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Kaduna.

Following the petition., Justice I.P. Chima delivered a verdict that sent shockwaves through the political landscape. He declared: “Idris Dankawu of NNPP has forged his WAEC certificate,” and as a consequence, the election is voided.

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The tribunal did not stop there. It instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set aside the Certificate of Return previously awarded to Dankawu. Instead, the tribunal declared Danagudi as the winner of the Kumbotso Federal Constituency poll which took place on February 25, 2023.

Justice Chima emphasised the tribunal’s adherence to the law, stating, “Having satisfied with the provision of the law, we hereby declare and return Munir Babba Danagudi as the winner of the Kumbotso Federal House of Representatives Election”.

The ruling concluded with a call for the parties to bear their own costs.