…Zamfara Assembly Election

By Ibrahim HassanWuyo

The Election Petition Tribunal  in Kaduna has dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressive Congress, APC,  and its candidate challenging the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the December 5th and 9^th, 2020 House of  Assembly by election for Bakura Constituency in Zamfara state.

The Tribunal which gave the unanimous judgement in Kaduna on Friday, was made up of a  three-man panel , led by Justice  Raliat Adebiyi.

The APC and its candidate Bello Dankande  had  filed a joint petition on December 20th,2020, specifically to disqualify Ibrahim Tukur of PDP, winner of the December 5th and 9th  House of Assembly  by election on the grounds that it was marred by massive irregularities.

They alleged arbitrary allocation of figures, result sheets not showing results of all political parties that participated in the election, intimidation of voters among others.

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The APC and its candidate  claimed that  they only participated in the first election held on December 5th, which was declared inconclusive by INEC,  but lamented that the electoral umpire,  still went ahead  to conduct a rerun election four days after despite the security lapses that made the opposition party not to participate in the rerun election held on December 9th, 2020.

While delivering the lead judgement , the tribunal dismissed   all the grounds of  the petition  in its entirety .

The tribunal said the petitioners failed to prove substantial non-compliance of the electoral act in  most of the polling units   including allegations   of thuggery and harassment of voters  during the election.

The tribunal awarded two hundred thousand Naira  cost against the petitioners  in favour of the First   respondent, Ibrahim Tukur and another sum of two hundred thousand  Naira  in favour of the second Respondent, the PDP.

The independent National Electoral Commission  being the umpire in the election did not ask for any cost and therefore , was not awarded any. Counsel to the APC and its candidate  refused to comment on the tribunal judgement.

But counsels to the PDP   Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN,  and  that of INEC, Sani Katu, SAN,  said the judgement was a true reflection of what transpired  during the election.

They said the petition by the APC  from the beginning was baseless and  was only aimed at obtaining judgement through the back door.