Appeal Court Declares Zamfara Poll Inconclusive, Bala, Yusuf Know Fate Today

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has voided the election of Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State and declared the election inconclusive while the governors of Kano, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed will know their fate today.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Lawal the winner of the March 18 governorship election.

But the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged the victory of Lawal, who ran under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the tribunal.

After the tribunal upheld Lawal’s election, the APC proceeded to the Appeal Court.

While the Kano State election petitions tribunal declared Gawuna of the APC winner, in Bauchi State, just like Dauda of Zamfara State, Bala Mohammed won at the tribunal but no one can predict how the two judgements will look like today.

Yesterday, a three-member panel of justices annulled the victory of Lawal and ordered a rerun of the election in three local government areas.

The affected LGAs are Maradun, Birnin Magaji and Bokoyom.

INEC had declared Dauda winner with 377,726 votes, but the incumbent Matawalle of the APC, who polled 311,976 votes, went to court.

Matawalle, now minister of state for defence, had accused INEC of subverting his victory at the poll by failing to include the results of some ward areas.

However, the tribunal, in a judgement on September 18, held that the petition was devoid of merit.

The court also awarded a N500,000 fine against the petitioners.

Matawalle and the APC then filed an appeal challenging the decision of the tribunal.

Delivering judgement, the court of appeal held that the Zamfara state election petitions tribunal did not consider the evidence provided by the appellants.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal declared the election as inconclusive and ordered INEC to hold a fresh election in three LGAs.

In Bauchi, speaking with LEADERSHIP ahead of judgement, the director, media and communication Bauchi APC Gubernatorial campaign, Salisu Ahmed Barau, said the party faithful across the state will welcome the court judgment in good faith and would not foment any trouble.

On the part of the ruling PDP in the state, the special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, said  the ruling part in the state was confident that the appellate court will affirm the victory of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed in the election.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Police Command has cautioned against all forms of celebrations and rallies by political party supporters for or against the winner/loser at the appellate court.

A statement by SP Ahmed Mohammad Wakil, the police public relations officer, said the command would deal decisively with any person(s) or group(s) who violate this order or deliberately cause the breakdown of law and order in whatever manner.

He said, “Those in violation will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law as security agencies have been deployed strategically and directed to ensure full enforcement.”

Uneasy Calm In Kano

Also, the Kano State Police Command and other security agencies in the state have warned troublemakers not to jeopardise the security arrangements in the state as the Appeal Court sets to deliver ruling in the case between Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Friday.

There was uneasy calm in the Kano metropolis yesterday evening as residents awaited the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the contentious governorship poll between the two parties.

Sanusi Bature Dawakintofa, the chief press secretary to the state governor, in a press statement, announced the impending judgement as coming today at 10am.

In a joint press briefing yesterday, led by the state’s Commissioner of Police Mohammed Usaini Gumel, he stated that security agencies had engaged the two parties’ leadership to ensure peace during and after the court verdict.