Tribunal Nullifies Election Of 26-Year-Old Female Lawmaker In Kwara

The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Saturday, September 30, nullified the election of 26-year-old female lawmaker, Rukayat Shittu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News recalls that Shittu made headlines as the youngest lawmaker in the country after she was declared the winner of the Owode-Onire constituency of Asa Local Government Area in the March 18, 2023, state House of Assembly election.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Abdullahi Yinusa Magaji, filed a petition over the victory, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC as respondents in the case.

In a three-man tribunal judgement delivered by Justice Ademola Enikuomehin, the election was declared inconclusive, and a rerun was ordered in five polling units.

The judge said, “The petitioners failed in 12 among the contested polling units while five have been proved. The results so far released are hereby cancelled, and the election is inconclusive.

“It is my belief that the election of the five units is not substantial enough to void the election of 66 other polling units.

“In sum, the petition succeeded in parts and consequence. I hereby order a rerun of the election in the above polling units to be conducted within 90 days”