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Olabode Adaramola
The Governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Minna on Wednesday upheld the election of Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger.
National Wire gathered that Hon. Umar Nasko, the PDP candidate in the March governorship election in the state and his party , had dragged the APC candidate, Bello and his deputy Ahmed Ketso, before the tribunal.
The petitioners alleged that the duo presented forged academic and declaration of age certificates to INEC, which was the crux of their case.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice John Igboji, while delivering judgment held that the petitioners merely pleaded facts without substantiation them with evidence.
Igboji also said that the tribunal cannot sit as an appellate court on an issue already decided by a Federal High Court.
“We have come to the inevitable conclusion that the petitioners have failed to their establish their case as there is no shred of cogent evidence in proof of the allegation as required by relevant laws.
“In the circumstance we accordingly hold that the petitioners are not entitled to any relief sought, their petition being bereft of any merit and the petition is hereby dismissed for lack of merit.
“We therefore affirm and uphold the election of the first respondent, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello as the duly elected governor of Niger state
The tribunal also awarded a cost of N50, 000 each against the petitioners in favor of the respondents.
Reacting to the judgment, the counsel to the petitioner, Mohammed Ndayako, said their case was knocked out on technical grounds.
Ndayako noted that the petitioners will carefully study the judgment before deciding the next line of action.
On his part, counsel to Gov. Bello, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) described the judgment as sound one, saying it was a ‘great jurisprudencial exposition’.
Also speaking Chief of Staff to the governor, Ibrahim Balarabe said the judgment was a victory for democracy and the people of Niger.
Balarabe called on the petitioners to join hands with the governor to move the state forward.
“Its a celebration no winner no vanguish, we should all join hands to develop Niger state.
“Niger lites should expect the best from the government of Abubakar Bello because we are going to the next level,” he added
