Again Tribunal affirms Yahaya Bello’s election as Kogi gov

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, with a majority judgment of two-to-one affirmed Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State as the winner of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.

Two of the three members of the panel dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its governorship candidate in the election, Mr. Musa Wada.

This was coming after the same three-man panel of the tribunal led by Kashim Kaigama, on Monday, dismissed the suit filed by the Socialist Democratic Party (SDP) and Natasha Akpoti, its 2019 governorship candidate who had challenged Bello’s victory as governor on the grounds that irregularities marred the election.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama and another member, Justice Baraka Wali, held that the petitioners failed to prove the allegations of over-voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation, and other electoral malpractices.

The Tribunal also awarded a cost of five hundred thousand naira against the petitioners to be paid to each of the respondents.

While dissenting the judgment, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele nullified the election of Governor Yahaya Bello and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh election in the seven out of the thirteen local governments areas in the state, within three months.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Jibril Okutekpa SAN, expressed dissatisfaction with the majority judgment and argued that the decision of the tribunal would be appealed.

Counsel to the Respondent, Mr Paul Daudu, maintained that the judgment was in order.

The PDP and its governorship candidate in the Nov 16, 2019 election in Kogi state, Mr Musa Wada, had dragged the APC, Yahaya and INEC to the tribunal insisting that the Election was marred by widespread irregularities.

However, the respondent, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said the judgment of the Election Tribunal upholding his election and the All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier today is an affirmation of his landmark victory on the 16th of November, 2019.

In a statement by Onogwu Muhammed, Chief Press Secretary, (CPS) to the Governor, said the landmark judgment affirming his landmark victory is a validation of the people’s mandate and an added impetus to his drive to do more for the good people of Kogi State.

The governor lauded the tribunal for being upright and just and thanked the entire citizens of the state for support and prayer.

The Governor noted that with the majority ruling of the Tribunal dismissing the petition of PDP candidate Musa Wada today, “the rule of law once again came to the defence of democracy by affirming the collective will of the people which was expressed on the 16th of November, 2019 when a vast, compelling majority of the electorate cast their votes for me to serve them for a second term.

Describing the judgment as most comprehensive of outstanding thoroughness, reason, and stretch on the many issues presented before the tribunal, Bello noted that the judiciary remains the last hope of common man.