The Supreme Court has affirmed Rufai Hanga of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as the Senator-elect for Kano Central Senatorial District.
The apex court also removed a former Governor of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau, as the candidate of the NNPP in the February 25 National Assembly Election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had appealed the judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had upheld Hanga’s candidature as the candidate of the party.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Uwani Aba-Aji prepared the judgment, but Justice Emmanuel Agim delivered it. The Supreme Court held that the INEC’s appeal lacked merit and substance and dismissed it.
The Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had previously upheld Rufai Hanga as the Senatorial Candidate of the NNPP for Kano Central. This was following the withdrawal of Ibrahim Shekarau as a member of the party and Senatorial Candidate due to irreconcilable differences he allegedly had with the party.
Despite the federal high court’s order, INEC appealed the judgment at the appellate court and lost. Not satisfied with the judgments of the trial and appellate courts, the commission proceeded to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgments which upheld Rufai Hanga as the lawful candidate of the NNPP Kano Central Senatorial District.
This ruling confirms Hanga’s victory in the February 25 National Assembly Election, and he is now the Senator-elect for Kano Central Senatorial District.
