THE election of Yusuf Liman, Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, has been declared null and void by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, and a rerun in five polling units (PUs) has been ordered.
On September 30, the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal overturned Liman’s victory in the Makera State Constituency and ordered a rerun in 42 voting units.
This was in response to a challenge filed before the Tribunal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Solomon Katuka, disputing the election of Liman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP candidate stated in his appeal that there were significant irregularities in the election of the Speaker, stating that he truly won the March 18, 2023, House of Assembly Election in the Makera constituency and hence should have been declared the winner.
There are 37 polling units in Makera ward, 2 in Barnawa ward, 1 in Kakuri Gwari ward, 1 in Television ward, and 1 in Kakuri Hausa ward, totaling 42 polling units.
Dissatisfied with the Tribunal’s decision, the APC candidate and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) filed an appeal, while also launching a cross-appeal demanding an outright declaration.
However, the Appeal Court, in a decision delivered by Justices O. O Adejumo, A. O Oyetula, and P. An Obiora on Friday, November 24, 2023, in Abuja, dismissed the speaker’s and INEC’s appeal and ordered a rerun in five polling units rather than the 42 ordered by the tribunal.
Barnawa Wards PU 005 and 009, Kakuri Gwari Ward PU 006, Television Ward PU 022, and Kakuri Hausa Ward PU 045 are among the impacted voting units.
As of today, the APC has 17,470 votes, while the PDP has 17,088.
The court determined that Liman’s election was nullified since the lead margin of 382 was fewer than the number of Permanent Voter Cards acquired in the concerned polling units.
