Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu: PDP Loses as Court of Appeal Affirms Victory of Kwara APC Lawmaker

• The People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Magaji Abdullahi, has lost to Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu of the ruling APC
• Magji had challenged the victory of Shittu, who represents the Owode/Onire constituency in Kwara State House of Assembly
• The appellate court affirmed the victory of Shittu after dismissing the case filed by the PDP candidate

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5-year-experience covering metro and government policy

Kwara state - The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the case of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Magaji Abdullahi challenging the victory of Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu at the March 18 election in Owode/Onire constituency in Kwara state.

The appellate court gave the ruling On Tuesday, 28th November 2023.

In a statement shared on her X page (formerly known as Twitter), @Rukayatshittu06, Shittu said the election tribunal had earlier ordered a rerun in 5 polling units of the constituency, a decision that she challenged at the Appeal Court.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker said the appeal court ruling has finally put an end to the political tussle and she can now fully concentrate on the business of representation.

In appreciating the judiciary, she wrote:

"It is important to note that, this is the 5th case I was involved in since emerging as a candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress in June 2022.

"In the pre-election matter, I went from the high court, appeal court, and the supreme court, and in the post-election matter, I have gone from the high court and now appeal court, giving me a first-hand experience of the level of stress and pressure we subject our judiciary to as a country.

"Due to the volume and magnitude of cases before the court, the judges work tirelessly for 7 days a week, including on Sundays, from morning to night and it is impossible to work under such pressure and condition without occasional imperfections.

"While it is true that the judiciary needs to improve as being advocated by many, I must say that our judiciary deserves sympathy for the magnitude of the burden before them and commendation for the sacrifices they are making in discharging their duties."

Court of Appeal sacks PDP deputy speaker

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that PDP leader and deputy speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Dahiru Barade, was sacked by the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.

The three-member panel of the court nullified the verdict of the election tribunal, which had earlier affirmed Barade as the winner of the Bauchi Central constituency.

It, therefore, ordered rerun of elections in some polling units in the constituency, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Aliyu Abdullahi Ilela, have alleged that there was over-voting.

Appeal Court sacks PDP lawmaker in Niger

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja sacked Hon Suleiman Wanchiko representing Bida I (North) State Constituency in Niger state.

The three-member panel led by Justice Bature Isa-Gafai declared Bako Kasim of the APC as the winner of the Niger State House of Assembly election.