Symbol of Justice.

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The Supreme Court yesterday sacked Hon. Halima Tukur as the member representing Yauri/Shangisha/Ngaski Federal Constituency of Kebbi State.

The court affirmed the judgment of the Sokoto Division of the Court of Appeal that  Hon. Garba Umar Uba was the duly-elected person to represent the constituency.

The judgment which was earlier slated for last Friday was arrested by an application  filed by Halima Tukur’s lawyer, Joe Gadzama (SAN), urging the apex court to set aside all the proceedings at the Court of Appeal.

Arguing the motion, Gadzama said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not authorise Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN) to file an appeal on behalf of the party. Both Halima Tukur and Garba Umar Uba are of the PDP.

However the apex court wasted no time in throwing out the motion saying that the PDP was the only party that could challenge Maikyau and since the party did not do so, there was no basis for the motion to arrest the judgment.
Halima had won at the High Court but lost at the Court of Appeal Sokoto Division.

In a unanimous decision, the panel of five justices of the apex court dismissed Tukur’s appeal and affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal.

Members of the panel which was headed by Justice Aloma Mukhtar are Justice Muntaka Coomasie, Justice Chuchwuma Ene, Justice Ariwoola and Justice Mary Peter Odili.