The National and States Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in High Court 4, Jos has nullified the by-election of Hon. Musa Avia Aggah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.
The tribunal in a unanimous judgment led by its chairman, Justice Hope O. Ozoh. Khadi Usman Umar and Justice Zainab M. Bashir held that the petitioners had proven their case.
The court equally held that Aggah did not score the highest valid votes in the election and declared Mohammadu Gwoni of the PRP winner of the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency by-election.
The tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to return Muhammad Adam Alkali of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) as winner of the February 26, 2022 by-election.
Justice Bashir, while delivering judgment, said it was proved that the PDP did not validly nominate Hon. Musa Aggah, having a subsisting judgement of the High Court that was affirmed that the PDP had no valid structure in Plateau State to nominate a candidate.
It further upheld that there was over voting in the results declared by INEC to announced the winner of the election.
“The petitioners have proved that there was over voting at 27 polling units in Tudun Wada/Kabing…they have equally proven over voting in some polling units in Bassa LGA,” the tribunal held.
It said more than 13,000 votes were deducted from the more than 40,343 votes declared by INEC in favour of the PDP.
“Therefore, the 1st and 2nd respondents scored 26,338 lawful votes, while the 1st and 2nd petitioners scored 37,441 lawful votes, and returned as valid winner,” the tribunal held.
It awarded N3m cost against the first and second respondents being Hon. Musa Aggah Avia and the PDP.
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