Tribunal Sacks PDP Lawmaker In Zamfara

The election victory of the member representing Bungudu West in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Basiru Bello Auki, has been nullified by the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.

Naija News reports that Auki, who won his election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated Basiru Lawal Bungudu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a judgment delivered by the three-man panel of judges on Thursday, the tribunal nullified Auki’s election based on the fact that the sacked lawmaker has refused to resign from his work as a civil servant thirty days to the date of election as provided for by Section 107 (1) (f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

The tribunal affirmed that the petitioner tendered before the tribunal proof of the payslip of the last salary the sacked lawmaker received from Bungudu Local Government Council even after he was elected.

According to the tribunal, the petitioner was able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt and was declared the winner of the election.

Court Affirms Lamidi Apapa As Labour Party National Chairman, Sacks Abure

In another development, the Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State, has sacked Julius Abure and reinstated Lamidi Apapa as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

In a ruling on Thursday, the court recognised Apapa as the authentic national chairman of the party.

The court also nullified the candidacy of the governorship candidates who emerged from Abure-led faction of the party, including Senator Athan Achonu, who is in the running to contest in the next election in Imo state.

The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the governorship candidates of the party who emerged from the Apapa-led faction in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states and publish their names.