Tribunal upholds victories of Doguwa, others

The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Kano, yesterday, upheld the victory of the House Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa of APC in the 2019 election.

Doguwa, the member representing Doguwa/Tudun-Wada federal constituency, was dragged before the tribunal by the candidate of the PDP, Air Commodore Salisu Shehu (rtd), with allegations of over voting and other electoral malpractices.

In its judgement, the three-man tribunal led by Hon. Justice Nayai Aganaba, dismissed the petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Aganaba awarded a cost of N300,000 against the petitioners.

Reacting to the judgement, counsel to the petitioners, Barrister Ibrahim Isa Wangida, said they would analyze the judgment to consider the possibility for appeal.

In the same vein, the tribunal had earlier upheld the election victory of Hon. Abdulmumini Jibril Kofa, member representing Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency.

Kofa’s victory was challenged by the PDP and its candidate, Aliyu Datti Yako, on grounds of over voting and other electoral malpractices.

The court, however, dismissed the petition, saying the petitioners failed to prove their allegations beyond reasonable doubt.

Similarly, the tribunal had upheld the election victory of Hon. Sani Ma’aruf Nass, member representing Minjibir/ Ungogo federal constituency.

PDP and its candidate, Muhammad Tajo Usman, filed the petition on the ground that Nass did not attend secondary school and the PDP candidate was excluded during election.

The tribunal in its judgment dismissed the petition saying the petitioners failed to prove their allegations beyond reasonable doubt.