Kwara: PDP Kicks As Appeal Court Reverses Sack Of APC Lawmaker
The Court of Appeal has upturned the judgement of the tribunal on the election of Rukayat Shittu representing Owode/Onire in the Kwara State House of Assembly.
Shittu, the 26-year-old candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who made waves as the youngest lawmaker in March, had defeated her opponent, Magaji Abdullahi.
But her victory was challenged at the election tribunal sitting in Ilorin by the PDP candidate.
The tribunal in its judgement, had cancelled election results in five polling units and ordered a rerun, a decision that was challenged by Rukayat at the Appeal Court.
But on Tuesday, the Court of Appeal, upturned the decision of the lower court, declaring that Shittu was legitimately elected.
Also annulled by the Appeal Court was the election of Taiye Afolabi, who was the only PDP state lawmaker, with his APC opponent, Musa Yusuf Atoyebi, declared the 'real winner' in Odo-Ogun constituency.
With the development, the APC now has all the lawmakers in the 24-member state House of Assembly.
Speaking on her victory, Shittu said the judgement finally ended the political tussle for her to concentrate on the business of representation.
But the state PDP has condemned the appeal court's rulings, calling them a gross miscarriage of justice.
The state Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara told our correspondent on Wednesday that the party was consulting its lawyers while expressing readiness to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC).
“Kwara State PDP, condemns the Court of Appeal judgement that sacked Otunba Taiye Afolabi in its entirety.
“It is a gross miscarriage of justice and it has shown that our democracy is under threat through the judiciary which ought to be the hope of the common.
“It is therefore wrong and reprehensible for any judge to seek to take away the mandate of the people through frivolous reasons of including Otunba in his name, Otunba is a title, not a name.
“The reason why the court annulled Otunba Afolabi's victory was because in his documents with INEC, he was referred to as Otunba Taiye Afolabi and the judge now said because his academic certificates do not feature 'Otunba', he has taken a decision to annul his victory.
“Otunba is a title. We expect that the judiciary will rise above this pettiness. We are going to petition NJC and internationally recognized bodies that can help us right this wrong,” he said.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Tafidan Kaiama Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed Amuda Aluko Abdulkadir Orire Lanre Badmus Garba Ado Sanni Ebola Alaro NULGE Tunde Mukaila Mustapha Tayo Alao Adeniyi Ojo Obuh Tuesday Assayomo Suleiman Mora Omar Bolaji Abdullahi Lawan Ilorin Anchor Men And Women Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla Olatunde Oyeyiola Iponrin Kishira Kwara State Internal Revenue Service Sheu Ndanusa Usman Inside Kwara Www.Kwarareports.com Alabi Lawal Salmon Babatunde Salmon Olateju Lukman TVC Female National Debate Otunba Taiwo Joseph Ganmo Power Sub-Station Seni Saraki Kwara State Geographic Information Service Muslim Cementary Kwara Hotel Oniwasi Agbaye Musbau A. Akanji Bibire Ajape Ibrahim Labaika Babaita Ahmed Bayero Christopher Odetunde Elesie Of Esie Towoju Mogaji Aare Ibrahim Mashood All Peoples Party Kayode Zubair Sam Okaula Elections Omotoso Musa Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan UNILORIN Alumni Abdul-Rasheed Na\'Allah Rotimi Atere Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf Veterinary Teaching Hospital Isaac Gbenle COEASU Olomu Bukola Ajikobi John Obuh Lucky Omoluwa Ilorin General Hospital Danladi Alliance For Democracy Ibraheem Adeola Katibi Isaac Aderemi Kolawole Dan Masanin Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency Christian Association Of Nigeria Afeyin-Olukuta Salman Jawondo Ilorin Like-Minds Dele Belgore Lawal Arinola Kudirat

