October 2, 2023October 2, 2023
The Governorship election petition tribunal has nullified the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state, declaring Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) David Ombugadu as the winner.
Delivering the judgment virtually, chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, declared Ombugadu of the PDP as the lawfully elected governor of Nasarawa State.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, two of the three Justices agreed that the election was won by the PDP while one Judge dissented.
Governor Sule had sought re-election for a second term under the APC but faced stiff opposition during the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Sule winner with a total of 347,209 votes, thereby defeating his closest opponent, Ombugadu, who INEC stated secured 283,016 votes.
The tribunal led by Justice Ezekiel Oyeyemi Ajayi, in delivering their judgement by Zoom, upturned the INEC declared result in favour of Ombugadu.
In resolving the preliminary objections, the tribunal held that APC objections on BVAS Machine/ Screenshots tendered by PDP is over-ruled because the BVAS reports were pleaded, relevant and admissible.
The tribunal further dismissed the objections and delved into the merits of the petition.
“The Tribunal deducted the votes of Chiroma having compared the entries in polling unit results with the ward result.
“Also the incorrect votes magically ascribed to Gayam is deducted. Chiroma and and Gayam regularised.
“The law is that only Presiding Officers can cancel Polling Units results. Ashige Results is hereby restored,” the tribunal held.
The tribunal agreed entirely with the 2nd Petitioner on Kanje-Abuni votes wrongly added to the APC wh8ch was deducted, while the petitioners’ votes unjustly reduced have been added.
“Alwazan Mada votes is hereby restored in favour of 2nd Petitioner (PDP),” the tribunal held.
The Tribunal also held that the petitioners’ witnesses were all competent witnesses.
“The evidence of Petitioners’ witnesses are all admissible,” they held.
The tribunal equally agreed with the 2nd petitioner on all contentions on over-voting.
“Votes of parties in the four PUs are discountenanced and accordingly deducted as prayed by petitioners,” it stated.
The tribunal upheld all the contentions of the 1st and 2nd petitioners.
By a majority decision of two to ine, the tribunal upheld the prayers of the petitioners that the votes were indeed inflated, sacked the incumbent Gov. Sule and affirmed David Ombugadu (1st Petitioner) as duly elected having polled the majority of lawful votes cast.
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