PDP, ADC candidates drag Gombe gov to election tribunal

Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress, Jibrin Barde and Nafi’u Bala respectively, have separately taken the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, to the election tribunal.

Barde and Bala are at the tribunal following the outcome of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state.

While Yahaya was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Professor Maimuna Waziri, with 342,821 votes his closest challenger and candidate of the PDP, Barde, scored 233,131 and the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s Khamisu Mailantarki came distant third with 19,861 votes.

Our correspondent reports that in 2019, Bayero Nafada who came second in the gubernatorial election didn’t challenge the outcome of the election as the Tribunal only dispensed judgement in National and State Assembly elections.

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According to a certified true copy obtained on Tuesday by our correspondent, for Barde, the respondents include INEC, Yahaya and his party, the All Progressives Congress.

The petition partly read,” The 1st Petitioner, Jibrin Muhammad Barde, who voted and had the right to vote and be voted for was a candidate at the election to the office of Governor of Gombe State held on the 18th day of March 2023 (“the election”).

“The 1st Petitioner contested the said election on the platform of and was sponsored by the 2nd petitioner, and states that he has a right to be returned as elected at the said election.

“The 2nd Petitioner, the PDP is a duly registered political party in Nigeria that sponsored the 1st petitioner to contest the election into the office of Governor of Gombe State held on the 18 day of March 2023.”

A source at the Tribunal who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said there would be an inaugural proceeding next Tuesday.

“We will hold our Tribunal’s inaugural sitting on May 2, 2023 by 9am. When you come you will see the proceedings,” he added.

Some other petitions sighted include that of the candidate of the PDP in Gombe Central senatorial district, Abubakar Aliyu, against adjudged winner Danjuma Goje of the APC; Victor Mela member representing Billiri/Balanga against the winner and candidate of the PDP, Isa Ali.

Others are Ahmad Bose of the PDP against the current member representing Akko Federal Constituency and the winner of the election into the House of Representative seat in the area, APC’s Usman Kumo; David Yako of Labour Party against the adjudged winner Anthony Yaro of the PDP and Gombe State lone female member in the House of Assembly Asma’u Ignanus of APC against winner Zubairu Ayala of PDP.