Tribunal sacks Zamfara PDP lawmaker

 Zamfara State National and State Assembly election petition Tribunal sitting in Sokoto has nullified the election of the State lawmaker representing Bungudu West in the House of Assembly, Basiru Bello Auki.

He was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Tribunal nullified his election on Thursday following a judgment delivered by the three-man panel of judges.

The reason for the nullification of the election was based on the fact that the sacked lawmaker has refused to resign from his work as a civil servant working with the Bungudu Local Government council thirty days to the date of election as provided for by section 107 (1) (f) of the Constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Section 107(1)/(f) of the Nigerian constitution 1999 (as amended) states that “No person shall be qualified for election to a House of Assembly if he is a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State, and he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from such employment thirty days before the date of election.”

The tribunal affirmed that the petitioner, Basiru Lawal Bungudu, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

Counsel to the petitioner, Barrister Ibrahim Ali tendered before the tribunal a proof of the payslip of the last salary the sacked lawmaker received from Bungudu Local Government Council even after he was elected.