By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Abuja
Two serving Senators and eight members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in Katsina state, were yesterday, sacked from their respective offices by the Supreme Court.

A seven-man panel of justices of the apex court in a unanimous judgment yesterday, maintained that going by the express provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the 1999 constitution, as amended, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ought not have recognized the ousted lawmakers as authentic candidates of the CPC for the April 2011 general election in Katsina state, saying they were not validly nominated ab-initio.

Consequently, the Supreme Court panel presided by Justice Tanko Mohammed Mahmoud, yesterday, upheld an earlier verdict of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which had on April 20 declared the primary election that produced the sacked lawmakers as illegal, null and void.

Those affected by the judgment were Senators Abdu Umar ‘Yandoma and Ahmad Sani Stores, representing Katsina North and Katsina Central senatorial districts respectively, Representatives Murtala Isa, Muntari Dandutse, Musa Salisu, Aminu Ashiru and Umar Adamu Katsayal, Muhammad Tukur, Tasi’u Doguro, and Abdu Dankama representing Jibia-Kaita Federal constituency.

Meanwhile, the apex court yesterday ordered the National Assembly leadership to promptly swear-in 10 members of the CPC in Katsina state who it said were the bona-fide candidates of the party and winners of the primary election that heralded the April poll in the state.

Those it said should be sworn-in to take over the seats of the ousted legislators were, Mr Sadiq Yar’Adua, (Katsina central Senatorial District), Hadi A Sirika, (Katsina North), Ahmed B Kaita, (Kankia/Kusada/ Ingawa Federeal constituency), Salisu Salisco, (Kaita/ Jibiya constituency), Shiek Umar Abubakar, (Katsina federal constituency), Salisu Ado Daura, (Daura/ Maiaduwa/ Sandamu constituency), Isa Lawa Doro, (Mani/ Bindawa constituency), Sani Bello Mashi, (Mashi/ Dutsi constituency), Abbas Machika, (Kankara/ Faskari/ Sabuwa constituency) and Dr Mansur Funtua,  (Funtua/ Dandume constituency).

Posted by admin on Dec 17 2011. Filed under House, Katsina, Legislature, Senate, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry