BREAKING: TRIBUNAL UPHELD ELECTION OF APC ZUBAIRU ISMAILA
UTHMAN BABA- SIRAJDEEN
The Member representing Rafi Local Government Area in the Niger state House of assembly has had his election upheld by justice Godspower Agunna Christopher led National and state assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Minna, the Niger state capital.
Zubairu contested the March 18 State House of Assembly election to represent Rafi Constituency but had his election challenged by Gambo Sani Inga of the People Democratic party (PDP), on the grounds of over votings and non compliance with the provision of the electoral act.
The petitoner approached the tribunal with the claims that the first respondent, the Indepndent Election Commission (INEC), only declared the second respondent winner of the March 18 2023 election as he alledged that he was duely elected with the majority of the vote cast.
According to the petitoner through his counsel Barrister K J Idrees, the election of the second respondent was not in compliance with the provision of the electoral act 2022 requesting the tribunal to declare the petitoner the duely elected and the “rightful winner of the March,18 2023 National and State Assembly having won the majority of the vote cast”
He said the election as Conducted across majority of the polling units and wards of the Rafi State Assembly Constituency on the 18 March 2023 was characterized with over votings, none complance in accordance to the provision of the Electoral act 2022 ” among other irregularities, we therefore prayed the tribunal upturn the election of the second respondent and declare the petitoner the rightful winner of the election having scored the majority of the votes cast”
During the pre-hearings trial of the tribunal the petitoner assembled seven witnesses and and five suppoened witnesses as well as fifteen exhibits and evidences were all tendered and admmited by the tribunal.
While analyzing the evidences and exhibits as tendered and the testimonies of the witnesses, the tribunal asserted that the witnesses contradicted themselves by filling their witnesses on Oaths in English and testifying in Hausa language
” The tribunal having perused the exhibits and evidences and the testimonies of the seven witnesses, hereby dismissed the petition and upheld the election of the second respondent without awarding any cost to the petitioner” Justice Godspower Aguma averred.
Speaking with Journalists, in an interview, the Chairman Rafin Local Government Council in Niger State Alhaji Ayuba Katako described the Judgement as a victory for democracy and appealed to the petitioner to come on board to join hands to encourage speedy development to Rafi local government.
He said the election has come and gone, ” what is left for us now is to see how to bring development to our people and the generality of Rafi people”
He noted that the petitioner and the respondent are all critical stakeholders in Rafi local government urging them to bury their political differences and put their heads together to Collectively think of how to improve the well-being of the people of Rafi local government for the overall benefit of the people.
The Chairman further stated that both the respondent and the petitioner are all winners adding that nobody is a loser in the election and the tribunal.
In an interview with reporters shortly after, the Judgement Chairman of the People Democratic party (PDP), in Rafi Local Government Alhaji Aliyu Badi, described the Judgement as an injuries to Democracy.
He said the party’s critical stakeholders within and outside the state will soon make their next position known to the public on their next line of action.
He appealed to his supporters both at all level to remain calm and go about their normal activities as the party in the state and the National body are doing everything possible to appeal the Judgement.
