Tribunal declares Markafi winner

THE National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, on Monday, declared a former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Mohammed Ahmed Makarfi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who challenged the victory of Senator Yusuf Daiti Baba Ahmed of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) representing Kaduna North senatorial zone as the winner of the election.Makarfi had through his counsel, based his petition on the allegation that the first respondent was not duly elected, and that the election was marred by substantial irregularities in seven local government areas out of the eight areas which needed to be recounted.Delivering the judgment which lasted for about five hours, the tribunal chairman, Justice Daniel Kailo, said the recounting of ballot papers was necessary because they were genuine papers brought by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) officials to the tribunal and as such its genuiness could not be doubted.The tribunal noted that after the recounting of the votes in contention and the differences sorted out, the CPC candidate, scored 356, 579 votes, while the PDP candidate, Makarfi polled 364,801.'Makarfi scored the majority votes, accordingly the victory of the first respondent is set aside; the certificate of return should be withdrawn and given to Makarfi as the duly elected senator of Kaduna North senatorial zone.' Justice Kalio ruled.
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