The Appeal court has declared former Katsina Deputy Speaker, Hon. Shehu Dalhatu Tafoki winner of the re-run Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa federal constituency seat.The declaration by the Appeal Court brought to the climax a 27-month legal battle, which began in June 2022 as a pre-election matter with the Court of Appeal in Abuja upholding the decision in favor of Tafoki.The Nationrecalled the legal conflict began when Tafoki was taken to the Federal High Court by Murtala Isah Kankara, challenging his candidacy as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer......READ THE FULL STORY>>.....READ THE FULL STORY>>
The legal challenge was ultimately resolved by the Supreme Court, which confirmed Tafoki as the rightful candidate for the constituency.During the 2023 general elections, however, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Jamilu Mohammed, was initially declared the winner by a slim margin of just above 800 votes.
Tafoki contested the result, arguing before the election petition tribunal that elections did not hold in 20 polling units across two local government areas, which together had over 10,000 registered voters.
The tribunal ruled in Tafoki’s favor, declaring the election inconclusive and ordering a rerun in the disputed polling units.The PDP candidate appealed the judgment, but the Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal’s decision, leading to the rerun and after the conduct of the supplementary election, Tafoki was declared the winner.Undeterred, the PDP candidate again petitioned the tribunal, challenging Tafoki’s victory in the rerun. The tribunal dismissed the petition, citing a lack of merit due to failure of the plaintiffs to substantiate the allegations.
The PDP again appealed the Court of Appeal in Abuja where a panel of three justices, Hamma Akawu Barka, Jumbo-Ofor and Samuel Admola Bola, upheld the tribunal’s judgment in favor of Tafoki.Reacting to the final judgment, Tafoki expressed gratitude to God and thanked Katsina Governor Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda for his unwavering support and encouragement.
