Breaking: PDP, LP Urge Tribunal to Nullify Ganye Bye-Election

The Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party in the just concluded Ganye Bye-Election have asked the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola, Adamawa State to nullify the bye election for non compliance with the Electoral Act. News Platform 

The Candidates, Hon. Buba Mohammed Joda of the PDP and his counterpart of LP, Hon. Benjamin Brandford, and their respective political parties prayed the tribunal to nullify the exercise which saw the emergence of Hon. Misa Musa of APC as winner.

In his separate petition filed on the 6th September, 2025, Hon. Buba through his Counsel, Chief L. N. Nzadon, has joined Hon. Misa Musa, APC as well as INEC as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents.

Hon. Buba, prayed the tribunal to declare that the return of Hon. Misa Musa as member representing Ganye Constituency in the bye-election held on the 16th August, 2025, was invalid by reason of non compliance with the provisions of sections 51(2) and (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The petitioner urged the tribunal to order Hon. Misa Musa to return the certificate of return issued to him by the electoral body as winner of the bye-election.

Equally, he appealed to the tribunal to order for a re-run election at 5 polling units where the exercise was characterised by over voting and other electoral malpractices.

The polling units the petitioner is praying for cancellation and re-election include Polling Units 002 Bari Gajere/Bari Pri Sch, Jaggu Ward, Polling Unit 005 Dirdiu D. Sabo/Pri Sch, Bakari Guso Ward and Polling Unit 006 Old Market III, Ganye I Ward.

Other Polling Units include 010 Old Market Ganye IV, Ganye Ward and Polling Unit 005 Dalibi/Dalibi Pri Sch, Gurum Ward.

Likewise, in his petition, the Candidate of the LP, Hon. Benjamin Brandford, who polled 68 votes only, alleged that the election was invalid across the constituency for non compliance with the Electoral Act, Manuals for Election Officials and Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of the elections.

The petitioner and his party joined Hon. Misa Musa, APC, Hon. Buba Mohammed Joda, PDP and INEC as 1st to 5th respondents in his petition marked: EPT/AD/SHA/01/25.

Hon. Benjamin, through his Counsel, Samson S. Bukar Esq, averred that the votes cast at some polling units exceeded the authentic number of accredited voters because according to him, some voters voted more than once.

According to him, the agent of the 5th respondent arrived for the election at numerous polling units late and declared voting closed even when intending voters were still in queue and waiting patiently to exercise their franchise.

He further alleged that the agent of the 5th respondent cancelled and altered results to conceal over voting and manipulated it in favour of the 1st respondent and his political party.

Hon. Benjamin appealed to the tribunal to nullify the declaration and return of the lawmaker by INEC as winner of the election for non compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, insisting that the non compliance substantially affected the result of the exercise.

He sought for an order setting aside the certificate of return issued to Hon. Misa Musa, as well as an order compelling the electoral body to conduct fresh bye-election in the entire constituency and include his name in the list of candidates contesting the election.