Court nullifies APC lawmaker election over age falsification

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday nullified the election of a newly elected lawmaker on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency, Adamawa State, Abdulrauf Modibbo, for age falsification.

The presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, delivering judgment ruled that Modibbo, who was declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, held on October 7, 2018, in Yola, and eventually represented the APC in the 2019 general elections, which he won, was not qualified to contest both elections.

The Judge said that the plaintiff had successfully proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Modibbo falsified his age severally and submitted the same to INEC in other to contest the elections.

The judge noted that Modibbo was a serving National Youth Corps member when he contested the primary election, saying that his action is in breach of section 4 of the NYSC act 2004 and should be discouraged from happening.

Modibbo’s closest rival Mustapha Usman had challenged the victory in a suit, where he alleged that the APC candidate falsified his age and was not eligible to contest the primaries.

 “In view of the disqualification of the first defendant Abdulrauf  Modibbo, the plaintiff Mustapha Usman, who polled the second highest votes in the primary election; the second defendant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency of Adamawa State which held on the 7th day of October 2018 is the lawful winner of the primary election and, therefore, the candidate of the APC for the Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency of Adamawa state for the 2019 general elections.

 “A person who is a lawbreaker cannot be a lawmaker. This illegality is one that cannot be wished away,” the judge declared.

Pending appeal on the judgment, Modibbo is expected to be recognized as the AOC elected candidate to represent the Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal constituency, Adamawa State, in the House fo Assembly of the National Assembly which will be inaugurated in June 2019.