The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola has dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking nullification of the last governorship election in Adamawa State.
Following the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri over the then incumbent APC governor, Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow, the APC filed a petition in which the PDP, Fintiri and INEC were joined as respondents.
Justice Adediran Adebara has dismissed the petition on two grounds, thereby affirming the victory of Governor Fintiri in the 2019 general election.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Adebara ruled on the preliminary objection raised by respondents’ counsels, saying the petition was incompetent since Bindow who would have been a beneficiary if judgment was given in favor of the petition, was not part of the petition.
He noted that ought ought to have been joined as petitioner.
On the substantive matter, the judge decided that the petitioner had failed to provide substantial evidence to prove allegations of over voting and non compliance to the electoral law in the conduct of the election.
Counsel to the petitioner, Barr Ibrahim Effiong said the legal team would study the judgement and advise their client accordingly.
Commenting on the judgment, the Chief of Staff to Fintiri, Professor Maxwell Gidado described it as victory for democracy.
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