Aminu Kanta was a candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2023 general elections for the Babura/Garki Federal Constituency in Jigawa State. However, he was disqualified from running by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanta, who had been announced as the victor of the primary election for the state, was removed from office by Justice Emeka Nwite for presenting a name that was not his.
A Federal High Court that was sitting in Abuja has disqualified Aminu Kanta from running for the House of Representatives in the 2023 general elections in the Babura/Garki Federal Constituency in Jigawa State. Kanta was the contender for this seat.
Kanta, who had been proclaimed the victor of the state primary election, was dismissed by Justice Emeka Nwite for providing a fraudulent name. The primary election had already been decided in Kanta’s favor.
As a consequence of this, the court decided that Alhaji Isa Dogonyaro should be recognized as the genuine candidate for the APC primary for the House of Representatives.
Dogonyaro disputed in court Kanta’s assertion that his name was Ahmed Mohammed, asserting that Kanta fought the primary election under a fake identity. Kanta had previously claimed that his name was Ahmed Mohammed.
The plaintiff had petitioned the court through his attorney, Sunusi Musa Esq., to decide whether or not a candidate who has given false information in relation to his constitutional requirements to contest an election is liable to be disqualified from contesting the election in question under the combined provisions of Section 66(1)(i) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) (1999 Constitution) and Section 29(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022.
In addition, he asked the court to decide whether or not the 3rd Respondent had provided false information in relation to his name when he claimed that his name is Aminu Kanta and that Ahmed Mohammed is his former name in the Affidavit in Suppor of Personal Particulars that he submitted to the 1st Respondent as the candidate of the 2nd Respondent for the seat of Mpape Constituency. This request was made in accordance with the provisions of section 66(1)(
In addition to this, he requested that the court issue a ruling on the question of whether or not the 3rd Respondent provided false information about his name in the Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars that was submitted to the 1st Respondent in his capacity as the 2nd Respondent’s candidate for the seat of M in accordance with the provisions of section 66(1)(i) of the 1999 Constitution and sections 29(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022. He stated that
When Aminu Kanta claimed that Ahmed Mohammed was his former name in the affidavit in support of personal particulars submitted to the 1st Respondent (INEC) as the candidate of the 2nd Respondent (APC) for the seat of Member of the House of Representatives, Justice Nwite found that Aminu Kanta gave false information in relation to his name. In his judgment, Justice Nwite declared that Aminu Kanta gave false information in relation to his name.
Nwite stated, “An order of this Honorable Court is hereby made, disqualifying the 3rd Respondent (Aminu Kanta) from contesting for the seat of Member of the House of Representatives, representing Babura/Gorki Federal Constituency in the 2023 General Elections, as a candidate of the 2nd Respondent.” Aminu Kanta was disqualified from running as a candidate for the 2nd Respondent because he had been convicted of a felony
“That order of this Honorable Court is hereby made declaring the Plaintiff the candidate of the 2nd Respondent for Babura/Garki Federal Constituency in the 2023 General Elections; the Plaintiff having scored the second highest number of votes at the Primary Election conducted by the 2nd Respondent for the seat of Member of the House of Representatives, representing Babura/Gorki Federal Constituency; the Plaintiff having scored the second highest number of votes at the Primary Election conducted by the 2nd Respondent for the seat of Member of
“That order of this Honorable Court is hereby made directing the 1st Respondent to substitute the name of the 3rd Respondent with the name of the Plaintiff as the candidate of the 2nd Respondent for Babura/Garki Federal Constituency in the 2023 General Elections; the Plaintiff having scored the second highest number of votes at the Primary Election conducted by the 2nd Respondent for the seat of Member of the House of Representatives, representing Babura/Garki Federative Constituency; the Plaintiff having scored the
