Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Sokoto State yesterday upheld the victories of two House of Representatives members in the 2019 general elections.
They are Hon Muhammad Saidu Baragaja of People Democratic Party (PDP) representing Sabon Birni/Isa Federal constituency and Hon. Musa Sarki Adar of All Progressive Congress (APC) representing Gada/Goronyo Federal constituency.
The victories of Baragaja and Sarki were challenged by Aminu Sani Isa of All Progressive Congress and Muhammad Bello Aliyu of People Democratic Party respectively on allegations of electoral malpractices and non-compliance with the provision of the 2010 Electoral Act, as amended.
But delivering judgment on Baragaja’s petition, the chairman of a three-man panel, Justice P. A. Akhihiero, held that the petitioner failed to prove his case of election malpractices against the respondent. He said the that the allegation of armed bandits’ attack on the local government which affected the conduct of the election could not be proved as there was no security report to back it up.
On the issue of non-compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act, the tribunal also submitted that it was a duty of the petitioner to prove non-compliance in an election.
The panel further added that the petitioner failed to show how non-compliance adversely affected the outcome of the election as stipulated in the Electoral Act.
He, therefore, dismissed the petition for lack of merit and awarded the sum of N20,000 to the respondents.
In the case between Muhammad Aliyu and Sarki Adar, Justice A.N Yakubu held that the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
The panel also dismissed the petition for lack of merit and awarded the sum of N20,000 to the respondents.