Arc->Electoral Irregularities
Election Tribunals begin hearings
May 5, 2003, 17:20
| | The first election petition has gone on trial in Enugu State, as seven others have been filed in regard to the 12 April Assembly elections and the 19 April Governorship and Presidential elections.
The Enugu State Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday 6 May ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Gubernatorial candidate in the state, Ugo Agballah, with polling documents that were used in the Governorship elections for inspection. This followed Agballah’s request that the Tribunal release all relevant electoral documents that had been issued to all local governments, wards and polling stations.
The INEC Secretary, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has stated that the Commission will cooperate with all petitioners in order to defend the results that it had earlier declared.
The Presidential candidate of the Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ), Mohammed Dikko Yusuf, has filed a petition at the Federal Court of Appeal demanding fresh Presidential elections. This represents the first election petition challenging the 19 April Presidential elections.
Six other petitions have been filed at various Election Tribunals with regards to the National Assembly and Governorship elections that held on 12 April and 19 April respectively.
In Sokoto State, two Senatorial candidates of the PDP, Yusuf Muhammed Maccido and Danladi Bako have challenge their defeat at the polls. The Edo State Election Tribunal has also received a petition from Amen Osunde, the All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) House of Representatives candidate. In Ekiti State John Filani of the PDP candidate in the April 12 House of Representatives election in Ekiti North Federal Constituency has petitioned the election tribunal over his loss at the poll to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate, Mr. Femi Dada. Lumumba Dalla Adeh of the PDP has challenged the electoral victory of Shehu Sale Hassan of the ANPP in the House of Representatives election in Plateau State. He has prayed the election tribunal in the state to declare the April 12 polls null and void.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State, Funsho Williams, has challenged the re-election of Bola Tinubu of the Alliance for Democracy at the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal.
The Election Petition Tribunals were set up to deal with grievances arising from the 2003 General Elections. Each of the 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory has a Panel of five whose membership is drawn from various state High Court Judges and Chief Magistrates. The Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammadu Uwais, on Friday 25 April and Wednesday 30 April swore in members of the Tribunals.
Related Articles:
Buhari rejects Assembly results...
Opposition Parties reject election results
President Obasanjo urges INEC to investigate irregularities
Resolving the Electoral Crisis
Saving Our Democracy
© Copyright 2006 nigeriafirst.org
Top of Page | 
