TRIBUNAL DISMISSES PETITION AGAINST ADAMAWA PDP COUNCILLOR

 

Left to Right: Hon. Suleiman Abubakar Goni, Councillor Bako Ward, Yola South LGA, and his Counsel, Dahiru Abdullahi.

A petition challenging the election of Suleiman Abubakar Goni, Councillor representing Bako Ward in Yola South Local Government Area, Adamawa State has been dismissed. 

The Local Government Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday, dismissed petition filed by Mohammed Bobbo, Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for councillorship seat.

Bobbo also joined the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the State Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents in the petition.

He prayed the tribunal to nullify the emergence of Suleiman of the ruling PDP as Councillor, alleging irregularities and lack of compliance with the provisions of the state electoral law.

But the 3 man tribunal in a unanimous judgement delivered by its Chairman, Hon. Aliyu Bello Isa, dismissed Bobbo's petition for lacking in merit.

According to the tribunal, the petition could not stand because it has woefully failed to substantiate the grounds that there was noncompliance to standards of the Adamawa electoral law.

The tribunal subsequently dismissed the petition and declared that the state electoral body was right to have declared Suleiman as duly and lawfully elected Councillor representing Bako ward.

It added that the SIEC had complied substantially with the provisions of the electoral law by declaring the 1st Respondent as the winner of the April 9th LGCs election of the ward.

Reacting separately on the judgement, Counsels to the 1st and 2nd Respondents, Dahiru Abdullahi, 3rd Respondent, M. U. Sabo, and Petitioner N. I. El-Yakub, thanked the tribunal for its sound judgement.

Fielding questions from newsmen after the sitting, Counsel to the 1st and 2nd Respondent, Dahiru Abdullahi, stated that the tribunal has done justice to the petition and his clients.

Dahiru, added that they were satisfied with the final decision of tribunal which validly allowed his client who was duly elected to continue with his representation, and applauded the wisdom of tribunal.

Baring his mind, the Councillor Bako ward and 1st Respondent in the matter, Suleiman Abubakar Goni, appreciated the tribunal for doing justice to his case.

Suleiman also thanked his Counsel and supporters for their solidarity and promised to justify the mandate given to him by providing quality representation.