The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25, senatorial election in Kano Central, Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura, has challengedthe declaration of Rufa’i Sani Hanga of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the winner of the election by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
Zahra has filed a petition at the election petition tribunal in Kano through his counsel, Ishaka Dikko (SAN), where he is asking the tribunal to declare him the winner of the election and set nullify the INEC declaration of Hanga as the winner of the poll.
According to Zaura, irregularities, malpractices, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act marred the Kano Central senatorial poll.
However, in their responses to the petition, the three respondents, INEC, Hanga, and NNPP, argued that the poll was validly conducted in accordance with extant laws.
Zaura’s counsel at the hearing on Tuesday, Dikko, said his client listed 30 witnesses in totality among which 12 would be subpoenaed by the tribunal.
Counsel to Hanga and NNPP, Barrister Meshak Ikpe, informed the court that his clients would call three witnesses, while counsel to INEC, Barrister Abbas Haladu, told the court that the electoral body would defend its case with two witnesses.
The tribunal, after listening to all the parties, adjourned the sitting to Wednesday for the continuation of the pre-trial session.
