Tribunal verdict safeguards constituents’ mandate, says Rep Sani Yakubu

Representative Sani Yakubu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Sokoto, has expressed his satisfaction with the recent judgment handed down by the State and National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal. According to Yakubu, this judgment effectively protects the mandate of his constituents.

The tribunal upheld Yakubu’s election as the duly elected member representing Gudu and Tangaza Federal Constituency. The three-man tribunal panel, led by Justice Josephine Oyefeso, ruled in favor of Yakubu, dismissing the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Musa Gidan-Madi, who contested the victory of the APC candidate. The tribunal cited the petitioners’ failure to substantiate their claims and imposed a fine of N200,000 on them.

Yakubu expressed his gratitude to the Almighty Allah for his success at the tribunal. He pointed out that the 2023 election in his constituency was one of the best nationwide, truly reflecting the will of the voters. He further highlighted that he achieved a historic margin in the general election, a first of its kind in the constituency since the return of democracy in 1999, even though it was initially declared inconclusive. After a second round of counting, he was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In response to the potential appeal of the judgment by the PDP and its candidate, Yakubu emphasized that it is a democratic norm for dissatisfied parties to seek clarification through the courts. He expressed his confidence in the judiciary’s ability to uphold justice.