Tribunal adjourns adoption of final address

The Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto State has on Wednesday adjourned the sitting for the adoption of final addresses to August 26, 2023, as the state governor, Ahmad Aliyu and his party, the All Progressive Congress, led two witnesses to close defense.

Tribunal Chairman, Justice Haruna Mshelia, adjourned the case after the Respondents, Ahmad Aliyu, his deputy, Idris Gobir and APC closed their defense against a petition filed by Sa’idu Umar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Umar, the candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship elections, had led 32 witnesses to prove their petition and asked the Tribunal to void Aliyu’s election and declare him the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

At today, Wednesday’s sitting, the Respondents Counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, led APC Assistant Secretary in Sokoto state, Yakubu Maccido and present Headmaster of Town Model Primary School, Sabon Birni, Jamilu Yakubu.

Advertisement

Yakubu testified that Gobir attended his school and presented a school register which was admitted as exhibit while Maccido testified that the election had complied with the requirements of law and prayed the Tribunal to discuss the petition.

During cross-examination by Petitioner’s Counsel, led by Dr Garba Tetengi SAN, some documents were tendered through the Headmaster which were earlier admitted in exhibits.

After a series of arguments and presentations, Justice Mshelia ordered parties to file written addresses and adjourned to August 26, for adoption of addresses as required by law.

It was reported that Umar and PDP approached the tribunal demanding the nullification of the March 18, 2023 election that produced Governor Ahmad Aliyu of APC and his Deputy, Idris Gobir as winners.

In the petition, they alleged that the election was flawed and did not comply with electoral laws.

The petitioners argued that at the time of the election Respondents were not qualified to contest the election and prayed that by virtue of the non-qualification of the Respondents to contest the election, votes were wrongfully attributed to them.

They argued that the said election has become unlawful, null, and void.

They further prayed the tribunal to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a new certificate of return to the petitioner as the duly elected Governor of Sokoto State having scored the majority of the lawful votes cast or ordered for another election excluding the respondents.