The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal has upheld the election of Abubakar Sani-Bello as Senator representing Niger North Senatorial District.
Justice Angela Otaluka delivered the judgement in Minna on Wednesday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Sani-Bello of the All Progressive Congress, APC, winner of the election held on Feb. 25.
Mr Sani-Bello, the instant former governor of Niger, defeated his closest rival Shehu Abdullahi, the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Mr Abdullahi, nevertheless approached the tribunal difficult the declaration of Sani-Bello as winner, on the premise that the election was marred by irregularities, together with a number of voting.
In his petition, Mr Abdullahi prayed the courtroom by means of his counsel Mr Hussaini Garba to nullify Sani-Bello’s election and declare him winner, having scored the very best quantity of legitimate votes.
In the over three hours judgement, Otaluka mentioned that the tribunal, having reviewed the entire proceedings, dominated that the petitioner had failed in totality to show the problem of over voting raised within the petition.
She additionally mentioned that the petition lacked benefit and dismissed it in its entirety.
The tribunal uphold the election of Sani-Bello, and directed the petitioner to present N250,000 as value to the respondent.
Similarly, the tribunal has upheld the election of Sen. Peter Ndalikali of the PDP, representing Niger South Senatorial District.
Mohammed Bima of the APC had filed a petition against Mr Ndalikali’s election, claiming that he scored the very best quantity of legitimate votes in the course of the Feb. 25 nationwide meeting election.
Mr Bima prayed the tribunal to nullify the election of Ndalikali and declare him the rightful winner of the election.
Mr Otaluka whereas dismissing the petition, declared that the allegations raised by Bima weren’t substantiated, and dismissed the petition for lack of benefit.
NAN
