Maccido, Shagari lose at election tribunal

The Elections Petition Tribunal in Sokoto State has dismissed the petition challenging the election of Senator Aliyu Wamakko for lack of merit.

The PDP candidate for the 2019 election into the Sokoto North Senatorial zone, Senator Ahmed Maccido, had filed the petition on the ground that Senator Wamakko did not score the majority of lawful votes cast.

He alleged among others, over-voting and non-compliance with electoral laws and INEC’s guidelines during the senatorial election conducted on February23, 2019.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Peter Akhimie Akhihiero,

first ruled on the preliminary objection which had been pending.

Wamakko who raised the preliminary objection had urged the Tribunal to dismiss the petition. He described it as statute-barred, noting that it was filed out of time.

Delivering judgment on the substantive suit, the judge said the petitioners failed to lead substantial and credible evidence to prove the allegations.

The tribunal also dismissed a petition challenging the election of a member of the House of Representatives representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency, Hon. Abubakar Umar Yabo of the APC.

The petition was filed by Yabo’s predecessor, Aminu Shagari, who was the PDP candidate for this year’s election into the constituency.

Aminu, the son of a former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, had alleged that the election was marred by irregularities and that Yabo did not score the majority of lawful votes cast and thus not duly elected.

Justice Peter Akhihiero said the petitioners could not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.

Also, a tribunal presided over by Justice Yusuf Ubale dismissed petitions challenging the elections of two members of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bala Hassan and Alhaji Aliyu Shehu, both of the APC.