Election Tribunal in Niger dismisses the Petition of Hon Abdullahi Lado of APC.
BY :- Mijinyawa Al-Sirajdeen.
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Minna again Thursday dismissed the petition of Abdullahi Lado Suleja of All Progressive Congress (APC) challenging the election of Adamu Tanko Lokoja of the People Democratic party (PDP),into the house of representative of Gurara Suleja Tafa federal constituency.
Lado Suleja had filed a Petition against the election of Adamu Tanko at the February 25 National Assembly Election alledging that his election did not comply with the provision of electoral act and was characterized with malpractices among other irregularities.
Justice Angela Otaluka along with two other members of the tribunal unanimously dismissed the petition after painstakingly reviewing the submission made in the petition.
Lado who was a sitting member of the house of representative for second terms had approached the Justice Angela Otaluka led election Petition Tribunal alleging that Adamu Tanko Lokoja is not the rightful winner of the February 25 National Assembly Election to represent Suleja Tafa Gurara Federal Constituency as the election was marred with so many irregularities in some polling units.
According to Lado Suleja, Adamu Lokoja election did not comply with the provision of the electoral act and was characterized with over votings and other irregularities ” and I want the Tribunal to upturn the election against him and the tribunal to declare me the lawful winner of the February 25 National Assembly”
He further alleged that most of the polling units of the three federal Constituency was marred with unprecedented crisis ranging from ballot boxes snatching unsigned ballot papers and over votings among other irregularities.
He sought the tribunal to declare him the lawful and rightful winner of the election having scored the majority of the vote cast at the three federal Constituency.
Upholding the election of the seventh responded Justice Angela Otaluka asserted that the petitioner could not prove the allegations raised in his Petition and the tribunal was convinced with the evidences and exhibits tendered before the tribunal and the petition ” is hereby dismissed and it lack merits in its entirety”
She then awarded the sums of N 350,000 cost to the petition.
