A cloud of uncertainty and confusion hovers over the recent ruling of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Kaduna State, with conflicting reports emerging about the outcome.
Journalists were denied access to cover the tribunal’s decision, which was delivered via Zoom.
Initially, reports suggested that the tribunal had declared the election as inconclusive, sparking confusion and speculation. However, another report later surfaced on Governor Uba Sani’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, asserting that the tribunal had upheld his victory as the duly elected governor of the state. This second report led to celebrations within Governor Sani’s camp.
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The tribunal’s decision relates to a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Isah Ashiru, challenging Governor Sani’s victory in the March 18, 2023 governorship election, where he contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.
In the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Sani as the winner. However, Ashiru and the PDP disputed the result and took their case to court.
In response to the conflicting reports, H.O. Ibrahim (SAN), counsel for Governor Sani, denounced the initial report of an inconclusive election, attributing it to mischief-makers within the court who sought to disrupt the proceedings and create unrest in Kaduna State. He maintained that Governor Sani had been declared the duly elected governor.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ibrahim Balarabe-Musa, a former Permanent Secretary in the Kaduna State civil service, asserted that the tribunal did indeed declare the election inconclusive and ordered a rerun.
Isah Ashiru, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, released a statement titled “Tribunal Nullifies Uba Sani’s Election,” in which he expressed gratitude to his supporters and provided clarity on the tribunal’s ruling. Ashiru stated that the tribunal upheld the preliminary objection raised by the respondent, which deemed the application for pre-hearing as premature. However, the tribunal also acknowledged the merits of the petitioner’s case regarding the margin of victory between the two leading candidates. Consequently, the tribunal nullified Governor Sani’s election, ordered the retrieval of the Certificate of Return, and called for fresh elections in specific polling units across four Local Government Areas (LGAs). The tribunal emphasized that the outcome of these elections would impact the declaration of the governorship election winner in Kaduna State.
Ashiru assured the people of Kaduna State that he would continue to pursue the mandate they freely bestowed upon him to its logical conclusion and expressed confidence in his appeal process.
The conflicting reports and ongoing legal battles have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the political landscape in Kaduna State, leaving both APC and PDP supporters eagerly awaiting further developments.
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