John Adams, Minna
It is not yet Uhuru for the Niger State Governor-elect, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, as the main opposition party in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dragged him before elections petition tribunal over the outcome of the governorship election in the state.
This is coming barely three days after the governor was handed his certificate of return in Minna by the Independent National electoral commission (INEC) in a well-attended ceremony.
The decision by the PDP and its governorship candidate Alhaji Umar Nasko, to approach the tribunal follows what the party called “a favourable report by its Legal Advisory Committee” which was set up to advise it on the way forward after its defeat at the poll.
A week after the governorship election, the PDP at an enlarged stakeholders meeting held in Minna, set up the advisory committee headed by the deputy governorship candidate, Alhaji Mohammed Ndayako, to advise it on whether or not it should pursue the case in court.
The committee was reported to have submitted its findings to the state chairman of the party Alhaji Tanko Beji on Wednesday, advising the party to seek redress at the tribunal.
However, the People’s Democratic Party says it decided to challenge the victory of Governor Bello and his deputy Alhaji Ahmad Mohammad Ketso in the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Niger state at the tribunal.
Joined in the petition are the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.