The Gombe State Governorship Election Tribunal has confirmed the re-election of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The court dismissed the petitions filed by the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jibrin Barde, and the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) along with its candidate, Nafiu Bala, who had contested the victory of Inuwa Yahaya and his Deputy, Manassah Daniel Jatau, both from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a unanimous decision, the three-man tribunal panel ruled against both petitions, citing a lack of merit in their claims.
Regarding the PDP’s petition, the tribunal characterized it as vague, nebulous, lacking specificity, baseless, and an academic exercise.
The PDP had alleged electoral malpractices and questioned Inuwa Yahaya’s victory as not representing a majority of lawfully cast votes.
However, the tribunal dismissed this petition due to the petitioners’ failure to present witnesses and evidence to support their legal challenge.
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Earlier addressing ADC’s petition, the tribunal, in its judgment read by Justice S.B Belgore on behalf of the three-man panel, held that the petition of the ADC and its candidate lacked merit, and so was dismissed accordingly.
The ADC was challenging the declaration and return of Inuwa Yahaya over alleged multiplicity and variations in the arrangement of names on the certificates of his deputy without accompanying affidavits to prove authenticity.
The court struck the matter, saying it was a pre-election issue and that the deputy had met the minimum requirement to run.
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In respect to ADC’s allegations of voter inducement, corrupt practices and non compliance with the electoral act, the tribunal held that the allegations were mere academic exercise as the petitioner failed to identify or mention a single case in point where such alleged infraction took place.
“I affirm that the petition by the African Democratic Congress ADC against the return of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya as the duly elected governor of Gombe State lacks merit on all fronts and that the election of the first and second respondents as winners of the March 18th Guber polls is valid and lawful”. the judge held.