AL-HAU24news

BY MIJINYAWA BABA- AGAIE MINNA

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Minna High court complexe Thursday, dismissed the petition filed by Mohammed Nazeer of the People Democratic party (PDP), against the election of Shehu Saleh of the All Progressive Congress ( APC).

Justice Angela Otaluka of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal dismissed the petition describing it as lack of substance and merit.

Mohammed Nazeer of the People Democratic party (PDP), approached the Tribunal challenging the election of Shehu Saleh who was declared winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election claimed that the election was manipulated in favour of the respondent and he should be declare the rightful winner of the election.

He alleged that the election was also marred with irregularities and non compliance with the electoral act arguing further that the respondent did not scored the rightful vote cast at the polls.

Nazeer in his Petition prayed the Tribunal to upturn the election of Shehu Saleh and return him as rightful winner as he scored the majority and rightful votes cast at various polling units across the Magana Rijau federal constituency .

Justice Angela Otaluka while reviewing the petition during the judgement asserted that all the issues raised and the evidences tendered before the Tribunal are all immaterial and inconsequential and lack merit.

She averred that the petitioner failed woefully to proved the allegations of over votings and manipulation of voting as well as non compliance with the electoral act among others claimed in his his Petition and the petition was accordingly dismissed as it lack merit.

Justice Otaluka while dismissing the petition she award a cost of N300,000 to be paid to the responded

Also, a Petition filed by Saidu Isah of the people Democratic party (PDP), of Agaie Federal constituency challenging the election of Mahmud Abdullahi of the All Progressive Congress (APC), suffered another setback as the petition was dismissed by Justice Angela Otaluka led Tribunal.

Saidu Isah had approached the Tribunal to declare him the rightful winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election to represent Agaie Lapai federal constituency claiming that he scored the majority of vote cast at most of the polling units of Agaie and Lapai.

According to the petitioner the election was marred with unprecedented and characterized with crisis and irregularities at the most of the polling units across the two federal constituency of Agaie and Lapai claiming that his polling and ward agents we’re chased away from the polling units.

Saidu Isah prayed the Tribunal to return and declare him the winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election unconditionally and upturned the election of the responded as he did not winn the majority of vote cast at the February 25 National Assembly Election to represent Agaie Lapai federal constituency.

In her four hours judgement Justice Angela Otaluka stated that the petitioner failed in totality to substantiate his claimed as contain in his Petition and he also failed to prove the allegations of non compliance and she dismissed the petition with cost of N300,000 to the responded accordingly.