BREAKING: Tribunal Affirms Election Of Yahaya Bello As Kogi Governor

Petition Tribunal has dismissed the application filed by Musa Wada, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.

In a judgment of two to one, delivered by the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama, on Saturday, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of over-voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation, and other electoral malpractices.
In a ruling, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama, awarded the cost of N500,000 to be paid by the PDP’s governorship candidate for wasting the time of the tribunal.

In a dissenting judgment, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele nullified the election of Governor Yahaya Bello and ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in seven local government areas where the petitioners proved their allegations of over-voting, thuggery, voter intimidation, massive thumb printing, and other electoral malpractices.

Wada and the PDP had filed petition against the declaration of Yahaya Bello by the Independent National Electoral Commission as winner of the election in the state. 

The petitioners said that Bello was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes, arguing that the election was fraught with irregularities, over-voting, lack of proper accreditation and failure to comply with the provision of electoral act.

He therefore, prayed the tribunal to declare him the winner of the election, adding that he scored the highest number of lawful votes or alternatively, the tribunal should nullify the election and order a re-run.

But the tribunal in its ruling, affirmed the victory of Bello.