Tribunal upholds Bello’s election, dismisses Wada’s petition

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja yesterday dismissed the petition of Musa Wada challenging the election of Governor Yahaya Bello.

A three-member panel of judges led by Justice Kashim Kaigama held that Wada and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed to prove allegations of over-voting and violence in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.

Justice Kaigama awarded the cost of N500,000 each against Wada and PDP to be paid to the respondents.

However, in a dissenting judgment, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele nullified the election and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Governor Bello.

He ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections within 90 days in seven local governments areas for being “deeply flawed.”

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, the governor said by the verdict, the rule of law once again came to the defense of democracy by affirming the collective will of the people as expressed on November 16.