The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Suleiman Wanchiko was pronounced the winner of the Bida I (North) State Constituency election in Niger by the Court of Appeal located in Abuja. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Bako Kasim was proclaimed the victor of the poll.
Through Justice Bature Isa-Gafai, the three-member panel delivered its decision and determined that Wanchiko’s appeal lacked substance.
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The appellate court agreed with Johnson Usman, SAN, Kasim’s attorney, that Wanchiko should not be allowed to run for office since he gave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a fake testimonial.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Wanchiko was proclaimed the victor of the March 18 Niger State House of Assembly election in the Bida I (North) Constituency by INEC.
Wanchiko was pronounced the winner by the electoral umpire with 12, 062 votes, while Kasim received 11, 820 votes.
Dissatisfied with the INEC’s announcement, Kasim and the APC petitioned the state’s electoral petition tribunal with petition number EPT/NG/SHA/11/2023 between Suleiman Muhammad Wanchiko and another and Bako Kasim and another through their attorney, Mr. Usman.
Wanchiko submitted a fake testimonial to INEC, making him ineligible to run for office. Kasim filed the appeal arguing that the election was unconstitutional due to noncompliance with the Electoral Act of 2022.
After finding that the petitioners’ claims had substance, the tribunal dismissed Wanchiko and mandated a new trial without him.
Unsatisfied with the tribunal’s ruling, Wanchiko petitioned the Court of Appeal, through his attorney Aliyu Lemu, SAN, asking the court to overturn the tribunal’s verdict.
However, Kasim’s attorney pleaded with the court to reject the appeal and declare his client the election victor.
The appellate court supported Usman’s claim that Kasim should have been declared the winner of the election and ordered INEC to give him a Certificate of Return since Wanchiko had been declared ineligible.
