Kano Assembly to swear-in Mohammed Aug. 8

The Kano State House of Assembly has fixed Tuesday, Aug. 8, to swear in Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the elected member representing Kura/Garun-Malam constituency.

The Speaker, Alhaji Abdullahi Ata, who announced this during plenary on Monday, said the development followed a letter received from the Supreme Court over its judgment on the issue. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Supreme Court recently sacked Alhaji Hayatu Dorawar-Sallau of the All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier declared winner of 2015 election. In its judgment, the court ordered the swearing-in of Mohammed, the PDP candidate, who the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced as coming second in the 2015 election. NAN reports that before the 2015 general election, an APC aspirant, Alhaji Danladi Karfi, had instituted action before the Federal High Court, Kaduna, challenging the emergence of Dorawar-Sallau as the party’s candidate in the election. When Karfi approached the Court of Appeal Kaduna Division over the judgment of the Federal High Court, it upheld the decision of the trial court with a consequential order that fresh primaries be held. Dissatisfied with the judgment of the appellate court, Dorawar-Sallau went to the Supreme Court, which upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeal. But the Supreme Court ordered that the runner-up in the general election be sworn-in instead. Ata, who, read the Supreme Court letter in part said, “I order the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly or the Clerk of the House (whichever is applicable) to swear in the runner-up in the said election. “On whom INEC has issued certificate of return to represent the Kura/Garun Mallam constituency of Kano State. “The 3rd appellant, Alhaji Hayatu Musa Dorawa-Sallau is hereby ordered to refund all the salaries/allowances and/or emoluments he collected while occupying the seat in the House of Assembly to the Assembly.” Ata also read a letter presented by INEC confirming that the commission had issued a certificate of return to the PDP candidate. (NAN)