Senator Aisha Binani Dahiru has taken legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The senator is seeking a legal review of INEC’s decision to invalidate her declaration as the authentic winner of the gubernatorial rerun election of April 15, 2023.
The saga began on Saturday, April 15, 2023, when the Resident Electoral Commissioner declared APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Senator Binani, as the winner of the guber rerun election held in Adamawa State.
The senator’s supporters erupted in jubilation, while her opponents were left fuming.
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However, the joyous mood was short-lived, as INEC later announced that it had cancelled the declaration.
They sited that the announcement was “null and void” because the election process was not concluded before the declaration.
INEC further sited that the REC’s action was a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer.
The senator filed an exparte application in court seeking a judicial review of INEC’s decision, and also asking for an order to stop INEC from taking any further steps towards the declaration of the winner of the rerun election until the matter in court is reviewed.
Senator Binani argued that INEC had overstepped its bounds by annulling her declaration, as only the election petition tribunal possesses the authority to overturn a declaration in the conduct of an election.
