The Court of Appeal Abuja Division has sacked Senator Elisha Abbo of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who represents Adamawa North in the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In a unanimous Judgement, a three-member panel headed by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Mr.Amos Yohanna as the duly elected senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The panel set aside the judgement of Adamawa State Governorship and National Assembly Election Tribunal which had earlier affirmed Abbo of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the Senatorial District election.
Recall that at the end of balloting on February 25, 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abbo winner.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the electoral body, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s candidate Mr. Amos Yohanna had approached the tribunal challenging the outcome of the election.
But in its ruling, the tribunal dismissed Yohanna’s petition for lacking in merit.
Not satisfied with the tribunal judgment Yohanna and PDP through their counsel Johnson Usman (SAN) approached the Appeal Court.
The Court of Appeal, after a thorough examination of brief of arguments from parties, agreed with Usman that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed that there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.
The appellate court, thereafter, deducted the invalid votes from both parties and found that Yohanna and the PDP won the election by majority of lawful votes.