The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto State on Friday upheld the election of Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto North Senatorial District.
It also reaffirmed the victories of members, representing Tambuwal-Kebbe and Sokoto South-Sokoto North federal constituencies, Abdussamad Dasuki and Bala Hassan respectively.
The victory of Wamakko of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was challenged by the former deputy Governor of the state, Manir Dan’iya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Similarly, Bala Kokani of APC and Abubakar Abdullahi of PDP filed suits against the victories of Dasuki of PDP and Bala of APC during the last parliamentary elections in the state.
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The petitioners alleged irregularities, electoral violence among others.
In a unanimous judgement read by its Chairperson, Justice Josephine Oyefeso, the panel upheld the elections and dismissed the petitions for lack of merits.
Oyefeso said the petitioners were unable to prove the allegations contained in the petitions beyond reasonable doubts as required by law.
She said the burden of proving a petition solely lied on the petitioners, adding that the witnesses and exhibits presented were not tangible enough to contradict the electoral body decisions.
