The supreme court has affirmed the nomination of Rufai Hanga as the Kano central senatorial district candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The apex court removed Ibrahim Shekarau, a former Kano governor, who was earlier nominated by NNPP and declared winner of the election.
In May 2022, Shekarau dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the NNPP after months of leadership tussle with Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano.
In August 2022, Shekarau decamped from NNPP to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Owing to the refusal of INEC to accept Hanga as a replacement for Shekarau, NNPP approached the court to seek redress.
The federal high court and appeal court ruled in favour of NNPP while affirming the nomination of Hanga as the party’s candidate.
Dissatisfied with the lower court’s ruling, INEC approached the supreme court.
On Friday, the apex court ruled that the electoral body’s appeal lacked merit and substance, and as such, dismissed it.
The presiding judge, Emmanuel Agim, upheld the verdict of the appeal court.