The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Minna High court complex, Thursday, dismissed the petition filed by Mohammed Nazeer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against the election of Shehu Saleh of the All Progressives Congress ( APC).
Justice Angela Otaluka, while dismissing the petition described it as lacking in merit.
Mohammed Nazeer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), approached the Tribunal challenging the election of Shehu Saleh who was declared winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election claimed that the election was manipulated in favour of the respondent and he should be declare the rightful winner of the election.
He alleged that the election was also marred with irregularities and non compliance with the electoral act arguing further that, the respondent did not score the rightful vote cast at the polls.
Nazeer in his petition prayed the Tribunal to upturn the election of Shehu Saleh and return him as rightful winner as he scored the majority and rightful votes cast at various polling units across the Magana Rijau federal constituency .
Justice Angela Otaluka while reviewing the petition during the judgement asserted that all the issues raised and the evidences tendered before the Tribunal are all immaterial and inconsequential and lack merit.
She averred that the petitioner failed woefully to prove the allegations of over-voting and manipulation of voting as well as non compliance with the electoral act among others claimed in his his Petition and the petition was accordingly dismissed as it lack merit.
Justice Otaluka while dismissing the petition she awards a cost of N300,000 to be paid to the respondent
Also, a petition filed by Saidu Isah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of Agaie Federal constituency challenging the election of Mahmud Abdullahi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), suffered another setback as the petition was dismissed by Justice Angela Otaluka led Tribunal.
Saidu Isah had approached the Tribunal to declare him the rightful winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election to represent Agaie Lapai federal constituency claiming that he scored the majority of vote cast at most of the polling units of Agaie and Lapai.
According to the petitioner the election was marred with unprecedented irregularities and characterized with crisis at the most of the polling units across the two federal constituency of Agaie and Lapai claiming that his polling unit and ward agents were chased away from the polling units.
Saidu Isah prayed the Tribunal to return and declare him the winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election unconditionally and upturned the election of the respondent as he did not win the majority of vote cast at the February 25 National Assembly Election to represent Agaie Lapai federal constituency.
In her four hours judgement Justice Angela Otaluka stated that the petitioner failed in totality to substantiate his claim as contained in his petition and he also failed to prove the allegations of non compliance and dismissed the petition with a cost of N300,000 to be paid to the respondent.
