BREAKING: Court of Appeal sacks PDP Senator from Taraba, Bashir Marafa

Bashir MarafaThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again lost in Taraba State as the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola upheld a tribunal’s ruling, sacking Bashir Marafa as senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District.

On September 30, the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Taraba State, nullified the election of Mr. Marafa and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue Certificate of Return to the All Progressives Congress candidate, Yusuf Abubakar.

The tribunal said the petitioners in the case, the APC, and its candidate, had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.
The tribunal therefore ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to return Mr. Abubakar as the candidate that scored the majority of lawful votes during the polls.

Marafa, however, appealed the tribunal’s decision.

In their separate judgements on Tuesday, the three judges, Jummai Sankey, Duobele Abraham and Ridwan Maiwada of the Court of Appeal, unanimously agreed that the appeal lacked merit and was therefore dismissed.