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

The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Musa Wada to challenge Governor Yahaya Bello’s victory in the November 16, 2019, gubernatorial election in Kogi state.

The court upheld Bello’s election on Saturday, May 23, 2020.

During the election, Bello polled 406,222 votes to defeat Wada.

Days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Bello as the winner of the election, Wada, who polled 189,704 votes asked the tribunal to declare the election null and void.

The counsel to the petitioners, Jibril Okutepa had reportedly urged the court to uphold Wada’s petition and declare him as the duly elected governor of Kogi state, saying his clients won the majority of lawful votes cast in the election.

According to TheCable, Wada’s legal team also invited a total of 32 witnesses to prove their claim that the election was marred by irregularities, violence, ballot snatching and non-compliance with the electoral act and the constitution.

But Joseph Daudu, who represented Bello and the APC, asked the court to dismiss the case, saying the petitioners were unable to prove their claims.

While delivering the judgement on Saturday, two out of three judges on the panel upheld Bello’s election as governor.