INEC declared ex-Niger governor Senator with smuggled unsigned result sheets, ballot papers – Abdullahi

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), smuggled unsigned ballot papers to declare the former governor Abubakar Sani Bello as Senator at the February 25, National Assembly in the Niger North Senatorial district.

This was disclosed by the Senatorial candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Shehu Abdullahi shortly after he testified at the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, EPT, sitting in Minna.

He stated that he petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the rulling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Abubakar Sani Bello to challenge the conduct of the February 25 National Assembly Election at the Tribunal.

He explained that over thirty thousand unsigned and unstamped ballot papers were thumb printed by the INEC staff during the condut of the election to declare Abubakar Sani Bello as the Senator which he said was his reason for approaching the tribunal to nulify his election and to declare him the rightful winner of the election.

He said in his petition he told the tribunal that he was elected by the majority votes in accordance with the Electoral Act, stating that, the tribunal should nulify the election and return him as the rightful winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election as Senator of Niger North Senatorial district.

According to him, going by the electoral act, he was duly elected by the majority of voters of his Constituency, adding that he approached the tribunal with all the necessary evidences to nulify the election and return him as the elected Senator of the Northern Senatorial District of Niger State.”

The invalid result sheets which intentionally the Independent National Electoral Commission and the All Progressives Congress and the contestant used and collate as well as compute results to return him as the winner of the election is wrong.

“That was our reason we approached the court to challenge the decision of INEC.

“There were almost about twenty seven to thirty thousand votes that were put in the result sheet.

“And these results were not signed. The result were not stampped. And any result sheet that does not carry INEC stamp and is not signed is invalid.

In this case, INEC connived with the APC and put it. So that is why we approached the court” he told Journalists in an interview after the sitting of the Tribunal Wednesday.

Alhaji Shehu Abdullahi said he was optimistic that the tribunal will unanimously declare him as the rightful winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election.

“My expectations from the tribunal is nothing but victory from the decision of the tribunal going by the electoral act.

“Because in my petition, I have presented all the necessary facts and evidences to the tribunal and by the grace of Allah victory will be on my side.” He asserted.

Meanwhile, the counsel to all the respondents told the panel of the led by Justice Angela Otaluka that they will not present any witnesses as they told the tribunal to give a date for them to respond through a written adress to close their case.

Justice Angela Otaluka then adjourned the case to 3rd July 2023.