Appeal Court sacks 10 CPC Katsina senators and Reps

The Court of Appeal, on Friday, upheld the decision of the Federal High Court which voided the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Certificates of Return of 10 defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) lawmakers from Katsina State.

Those whose certificates were voided are Senator Abubakar Yar’Adua, Katsina Central; Senator Hadi Sirika, Katsina North; members of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Kaita and Salisu Salisco.

The others are Reps. Umar Abubakar, Salisu Daura, Isa Doro, Sani Mashi, Abbas Machika and Mansur Funtua.

Justice Jimi Bada, who delivered the judgment in Abuja, held that the leadership of the National Assembly erred by accepting to swear in the appellants in spite of a subsisting court order.

Bada said that the Federal High Court was right to have dismissed the objection raised by the appellants

“The certificates of return issued to the appellants are a nullity as INEC issued them without order from any court or tribunal,” he said.

Abdu Yandoma and Ahmad Sani, Murtala Isa, Muntari Dandutse, Musa Salisu, Aminu Ashiru,  Umar Katsayal, Muhammad Tukur, Tasi’u Doguro, and Abdu Dankama challenged the issuance of the certificates of return to the appellants.

The two senators and eight serving members of the House of Representatives appealed to the Court of Appeal to set aside the decision of the lower court.
http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/25354-appeal-court-sacks-katsina-senators,-reps.html