Zamfara governor-elect demands Certificate of Return in letter to INEC

A letter written by governor–elect of Zamfara State, Alhaji Mukhtar Idris has been sent to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, demanding that his Certificate of Return be handed over to him.

The letter written and submitted by his counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mahmud Magaji also demanded that INEC release the certificate of return of all elected members of the House of Assembly.

The letter follows the judgement of the Court of Appeal Division in Sokoto State withholding the Certificate of Return of the governor-elect and members-elect of the House of Assembly.

The letter by Magaji reads: “It is worthy of note that the purported judgement of the Court of Appeal, has no positive of direct order.

“But, assuming there is, even a court order arising from the said judgement, we still have 21 days within which to appeal, thus, putting into abeyance the said judgement until after the lapse of the said 21 days.

Read also: ZAMFARA: Gov Yari says bandits killed over 3000, destroyed 500 villages in five years

“But, in the case at hand, the parties (APC Zamfara) still has 21 days, existing side by side with their constitutional right of appeal.

‘’Finally, we urge INEC to abide fully with the provision of section 143 of the Electoral Act by releasing the certificate of return to the Zamfara state governor-elect as well as all the elected members of the House of Assembly.’

‘’According to the Electoral Act, section 143(1) states that “if the election tribunal or the court, as the case may be, determined that if a candidate returned and elected was not validly elected, then, if Notice of Appeal against that decision is given within 21 days, from the date of the decision, the candidate returned as elected shall, notwithstanding the contrary decision of the election tribunal or the court, remain in office pending the determination of the appeal.

“Section 143 of the Electoral Act also states that, “if the election tribunal or the court, as the case may be, determined that if a candidate returned and elected the candidate shall, notwithstanding the contrary decision of the election tribunal or the court, remain in office; within which an appeal may be brought.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now