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Last Updated: Aug 14th, 2006 - 11:32:28
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Electoral Irregularities?
Election Tribunals rule on petitions
Jun 6, 2003, 15:53
| | Election Tribunals have started delivering judgement on petitions challenging the National Assembly and Governorship election results of 12 and 19 April. Out of the three rulings delivered so far, two are in respect of the National Assembly election while one pertains to the Governorship election.
The Edo State Election Tribunal on 4 June upturned the election of Captain Jun Adun (rtd) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the House of Representatives. In his ruling, Justice J.K. Aliu, Chairman of the Tribunal, upheld the petition of Lord Amen Osunde of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and declared him winner of the National Assembly election.
Justice Aliu determined that the election results were not properly computed. According to him, the petitioner, Osunde, actually scored 43,700 votes as against the 42,563 votes scored by Adun, who was declared winner based on an inflated figure of 48,114 votes.
By virtue of the ruling, unless Adun, who was sworn in on 3 June, appeals the verdict within 21 days, he will vacate the Egor/Ikpoba/Okha Federal Constituency Seat to Osunde in compliance with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2001.
In another development, Election Tribunals in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States struck out petitions brought against the elections of Governor Bola Tinubu of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and of Senator Effiong Bob of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Lagos State Election Tribunal on 30 May quashed the petition filed by Funsho Williams, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, who challenged the re-election of Governor Bola Tinubu.
Williams contended that Tinubu lacked the minimum academic qualification required to stand for Governorship elections. He also cited cases of financial impropriety and embezzlement for which, according to him, the Code of Conduct Bureau had indicted the Governor. However, Justice Abdul Aboki, Chairman of the Tribunal, upheld Tinubu’s re-election.
The Lagos State Tribunal also noted that Williams’ petition was in violation of the due process since neither the petitioner nor his counsel had signed it. Besides, the Tribunal further pointed out, a similar application by the same petitioner against the same respondent is pending before a High Court and a Court of Appeal in Abuja, which is tantamount to abuse of court procedures.
In Akwa Ibom State, Justice Nyiem Adamu, Chairman of the Election Tribunal, on 3 June struck out the petition of Akpan Isemin of the ANPP, which sought to annul the election of Effiong Bob of the PDP as Senator for the Uyo senatorial district. The ruling stemmed from the failure of the Secretary of the Tribunal to attest to the petition as required by the Electoral Act 2001.
Related Articles:
INEC challenges Court ruling
Buhari files election petition
More petitions before Election Tribunals
Election Tribunals begin hearings
Election Petition Tribunals
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