10 October 2015•Update: 11 October 2015
ABUJA, Nigeria
A Nigerian senator wanted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges lost his seat Friday following a tribunal ruling that his election was flawed.
Buruji Kashamu will no longer represent the southwest Ogun East senatorial district in the country's upper legislative house.
The election tribunal in its decision held at least 37,008 of the total 99,540 votes credited to Kashamu in the country's March 28 parliamentary election as invalid because of irregularities committed during the exercise.
The court then ordered that a rerun ballot be held in 110 polling units in Kashamu's Ogun east senatorial district within 90 days.
Kashamu, who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, now had 75,856 lawful votes compared to his closest rival Dapo Abiodun of the ruling All Progressive Congress, whose votes the court said stood at 70,677.
Justice Tobi Ebimowei, chairman of the tribunal, said that Kashamu could not be declared a winner with just 5,179 margin votes.
The ruling is subject to appeal.
Kashamu is wanted in the United States on alleged drug trafficking charges related to a 1998 case. A local court has restrained the government from extraditing him as requested by Washington.
His challenger in the parliamentary election insists he was not qualified to contest for public office in view of his drug case.
According to Saharareporters.com, a United States District Court in Chicago in 2009 had upheld Kashamu’s indictment on drug trafficking charges and conspiracy to smuggle heroin into the country.
“Kashamu was described by the U.S government as the kingpin of the drug cartel. In his response, Kashamu published several rebuttals in the newspapers and alleged that he was not the one being sought after by the United States government, but that the alleged crime was committed by one of his brothers who is now dead,” the online news portal said in its April 2015 report.
The outlet said that despite the denials, the U.S. government still regarded Kashamu as a drug kingpin and a fugitive from the U.S. law.
