BY Umar Yusuf

Yola—The Governorship and Legislative Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday, dismissed the petition by Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, challenging the election of Governor Murtala Nyako in governorship election held on February 14, 2012.

ACN and its governorship candidate, Mr. Markus Gundiri, had dragged Governor Nyako, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the tribunal, challenging the poll results, which they argued were characterised by multiple rigging, stuffing of ballot boxes, under-aged voting and multiple thumb-printing of ballot papers.

The petitioners also alleged falsification of election results, monetary inducement, intimidation of opposing political parties with the use of law enforcement agents and other glaring irregularities, during the election.

The petitioners had prayed the tribunal to declare ACN’s candidate, Gundiri as the winner of the election in view of the alleged irregularities or, in the alternative, order a fresh election in 11 of the 21 local government areas of the state, where it said the irregularities were glaring.

In its judgment, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the allegations adduced in the petition.

The tribunal also held that the petitioners failed to produce evidence to substantiate their claims of under-aged children, stuffing of ballot boxes, hijack of ballot boxes, intimidation of the opposing political parties, among others.