Tribunal Affirms Yahaya Bello’s Election As Kogi Governor
The Kogi state governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the election of Yahaya Bello as Kogi state governor.
Bello was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC ) in the November 16, 2019 poll in Kogi State.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Musa Wada, had petitioned the state election tribunal, challenging Yahaya’s election. They alleged that the election was characterized by irregularities, violence, ballot snatching and stuffing, and non-compliance with the electoral act, constitution, and INEC’s guideline for governorship elections.
In a judgment of two to one, delivered by the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama, on Saturday, May 23, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of over-voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation, and other electoral malpractices.
The tribunal also awarded a cost of one million naira to be paid by the petitioners, PDP and Musa Wada to INEC, Yahaya Bello and APC who are the respondents.
In a dissenting judgment, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele nullified the election of Governor Yahaya Bello and ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in seven local government areas where the petitioners proved their allegations of over-voting, thuggery, voter intimidation, massive thumb printing, and other electoral malpractices.
