Tribunal upholds Mark’s election
The National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, yesterday upheld the victory of former Senate President David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 28 Benue South senatorial election.
In its ruling that lasted over two hours, the tribunal affirmed that Mark had defeated his major challenger of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Daniel Onjeh.
The petitioner had earlier approached the court to nullify the election and order for a fresh one because in his estimation, the election was marred with irregularities such as over voting, harassment of voters, falsification, thuggery and noncompliance to electoral procedures among others.
But, chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mosunmola Dipeola, ruled that the petitioner failed in law, to substantially prove that the election was marred by irregularities.
Reacting to the judgment, Counsel to Mark, Ken Ikonne, hailed the tribunal, saying that, “nobody can complain about what the tribunal had done as the evidence of the petitioner was quite scanty to stand in the eyes of the law.”
However, counsel to the petitioner, Adetunji Osho, said his client would appeal the judgment. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 21 governorship election in Kogi State, Capt Idris Wada, yesterday flagged off his zonal rally in KogiEast with a mammoth crowd of supporters in attendance.
The rally, which held at the CMML Primary School, Anyigba, Dekina LGA of the state, witnessed the convergence of swelling numbers of party supporters and chieftains from across the state.
Speaking at the rally, Governor Wada expressed delight over the huge turnout of people, saying it was a sign of the goodwill and support he enjoys from the people.
He urged the people to re-elect him come November 21 so as to continue his transformation programme for the state.
Former governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, in his goodwill message, urged the people to vote for candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming election, saying Kogi has been for PDP and will continue to be so.
He debunked insinuations that he was planning to dump the PDP for another party, saying he could not afford to leave the ‘house’ he built to become a stranger elsewhere.
Dignitaries that canvassed support for Wada at the rally include former PDP National Chairman, Senator Ahmadu Ali; Wada’s campaign DG, Senator Tunde Ogbeha; former Kogi deputy governor, Chief Patrick Adaba; Prince Sola Akomode; Alhaji Sule Iyaji and Robert Audu, amongst others.