Tribunal sacks Nasarawa Gov, declares PDP’s Ombugadu winner

By Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

 

The Nasarawa Election Petitions Tribunal has declared David Ombugadu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner of the Nasarawa State governorship election which held on March 18, 2023.

 

 

The tribunal in its ruling declared the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) null and void.

 

Earlier, the tribunal sitting in Lafia had dismissed the case brought by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), challenging the confirmation of Governor Abdullahi Sule as the duly elected governor of Nasarawa State for lack of merit.

 

The three-man panel, led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, said, “The petition lacks merit and is hereby dismissed”.

 

According to him, the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt for alleged over voting, disruption of votes, among others.

 

However, the tribunal had refused to award costs against the NNPP.

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on March 20, declared Sule of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election in the state after he purportedly had the highest number of votes during the polls.

 

He was re-elected for a second term in office after beating his closest contender, David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 283,016 votes while Abdullahi Maidoya of the NNPP had 11,726 votes.

 

The PDP and NNPP, along with their individual gubernatorial candidates, appealed to the tribunal to nullify Sule’s victory, citing dissatisfaction with the outcome of the election.

 

…Atiku, Saraki salute Tribunal

 

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, have hailed Nasarawa Election Petition Tribunal for affirming David Ombugadu the duly elected Governor.

 

On Monday, the tribunal had in a split judgement of two to one by a three-man panel headed by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, on Monday, declared Ombugadu as winner of the election.

 

Atiku, in a post on X, said the tribunal’s ruling has affirmed that elections are the cornerstone of democracy.

 

He said:  “My warmest congratulations to Mr David Ombugadu of the PDP, who has been affirmed by the election petition tribunal in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as the duly elected Governor of the state. Elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and the people’s will, once determined, should always be upheld. –AA.”

 

 

In another post, Saraki said the tribunal verdict is a resounding affirmation of the people’s will.

 

He said: “I congratulate Hon. David Ombugadu of our great party, PDP, who has been declared the winner of the Nasarawa State Governorship election by the Nasarawa State Election Petition Tribunal. This judicial victory is a resounding affirmation of the people’s will, and it serves as a reminder that democracy is and must always be the bedrock of our nation.”

.As LP in Rivers vows to appeal Fubara’s victory at Tribunal

 

The Labour Party in Rivers State has vowed to appeal the victory of Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Election Petition Tribunal.

 

Labour Party deputy governorship candidate in Rivers State, Engr. Sam Kinanee who rejected the Tribunal ruling which dismissed their appeal said they will challenge Governor Fubara’s victory till Supreme Court.

 

Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Mrs. Beatrice Itubo had challenged the victory of Siminalayi Fubara of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election.

 

The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Monday dismissed the petition filed by Itubo to contest Fubara’s victory.

 

The tribunal, led by Justice Cletus Emifonye after adoption of final written addresses and arguments from all parties ruled, dismissing the Labour Party’s petition on grounds of lacking merit and failure to substantiate the allegations.

 

Siminalayi Fubara polled 302,614 votes, defeating Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress, who garnered 95,274 votes.

 

..Coalition routes for delivery of S/East tribunal judgements via zoom

 

The National Coalition Against Terrorism, on Monday, urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to allow election petition tribunals in the South East to deliver their judgments electronically.

 

The nation’s anti-terror group hinged their appeal on the rise of violence, killings and secessionist agenda being perpetrated by the Indigenous People of Biafra, a separatist movement in the region.

 

The admonition is also coming two days after IPOB banned the people of the South-East from celebrating the nation’s Independence Day anniversary, warning that “Anyone seen celebrating the Nigerian flag Independence in Biafra land will regret his or her life.”

 

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the National Coordinator of the National Coalition Against Terrorism, Terrence Kuanum, begged Ariwoola to borrow a leaf from the success of Kano and Kaduna judgments which were held with the aid of Zoom technology to ensure the safety of tribunal justices.

 

Kuanum explained that they are more worried about the Abia State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting which will be taking place in the alleged zone of certain IPOB leaders.

 

He said, “We are all aware of several threats to lives and property in the South-East over the activities of IPOB and the unknown gunmen which has resulted in so many loss of life and properties.

 

“In the last 10 years, we have witnessed massive destruction of police stations; our police personnel no longer go to work because their lives are consistently under threat and our prison facilities have not also been spared by the activities of these terrorists. Markets have been on several times closed in the South-East at the directive of these terrorist groups.

 

 

“We, therefore, request that the Chief Judge of the Federation immediately directs all tribunal judgments in the South-East to deliver their judgments through electronic means to save the judges involved in this patriotic assignment from coming under threat or even losing their lives.

 

“Further risking the life of these judges will bring their rulings in disrepute knowing full well that they are under threat and might have delivered their judgment under duress to save their lives.”