Appeal Court agrees Ndume, Lawan win senatorial elections

Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Thursday affirmed the election of Mohammed Ndume and Kaka Lawan of Borno South and Central Senatorial Districts respectively.

The three-member panel, presided by Justice Biobele Georgewill, held that the two appeals against the lawmakers lacked merit.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Feb. 25, declared the duo of Ndume and Lawan as the winners of the National Assembly election into the two senatorial districts.

Dissatisfied with the declaration, Muhammed Kumalia and the Peoples Democratic Party challenged the election of Lawan while Kudla Satumari and PDP filed petition against Mohammed Ndume at the state’s election tribunal.

The Borno National and State’s Election Petition Tribunal dismissed the two petitions.

Not satisfied with the judgments of the tribunal, Kumalia and Satumari lodged appeals before the Court of Appeal.

While Yusuf Ali, SAN, represented Kaka Shehu and APC, Johnson Usman, SAN, appeared for INEC and Marcel Oru, SAN, represented Ndume in the two appeals.

The senior lawyers urged the court to dismiss the appeals for lacking in merit.

Delivering the judgments, the Court of Appeal held that the two appeals lacked merit and dismissed same while affirming the election of Lawan and Ndume respectively.