The election petition tribunal in Katsina, on Wednesday, nullified the election of a member representing Dutsi/Mashi federal constituency, Mansur Ali Mashi (APC).
The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.
The PDP in Katsina State and its candidate, Nazif Yusuf, had in June filed a petition challenging the emergence of Mashi as a winner of the poll.
Joined in the suit were INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Katsina and the APC as 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respondents respectively.
The petition – no EPT/KT/NA/HR/01/2017 – had challenged Mashi’s victory on four grounds.
It insisted that the 1st respondent, Mansir Mashi was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast during the election.
Recalls that INEC had on Sunday, May 21, 2017, declared Mashi winner of the by-election.
Prof Hudu Ayuba, the Returning Officer, who announced the results, said APC won the election with 27,968 votes.
He said Nazif Yusuf of the PDP scored 19,451 votes, while Kabir Abdullahi of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) polled 332 votes.
He announced that the total registered voters in the constituency were 135,571, while 51,576 voters were accredited for the election.
INEC had conducted the re-run on Saturday, May 20 sequel to the death of the member representing the constituency, Alhaji Sani Bello on Feb.15, 2017.
