Court orders rerun of Kuje Area Council chairman’s election

The election tribunal, sitting in Magistrate Court Wuse Zone II in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has nullified the election of Bwari Area Council chairman, John Gabaya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

Delivering the judgment, the chairman of the electoral tribunal, Muinat Folashade Oyekan, said the election was full of irregularities which violate the Electoral Law.

The tribunal therefore declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Haruna Shekwolo as winner of the election.

It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s returning officer for the Bwari Area Council in February 12 election, Professor Amuche Madu, said Gabaya polled a total of 13,045 votes and declared him winner.

The returning officer also said that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Shekwolo polled a total of 7,697 votes.

About 473 candidates sponsored by 14 political parties participated in the election.

In a related development, the tribunal has ordered for a rerun council election in Kujekwa, Yenche and Gudunkarya wards of Kuje Area Council within 90 days.

While delivering his judgment, Kimi Appah said following the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sarki Hamidu, over alleged irregularities during the last February 12 Area Council election, the tribunal has ordered for the supplementary election.

He explained that the applicant raised cases of BVAS failure during the election.

Appah directed INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected wards within 90 days.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the court session, the chairman of the PDP in Kuje, Mohammed Dogora described the judgment as laughable.

He said the party won’t panic about the rerun.

However, the Senior Principal Private Secretary to the current chairman of Kuje Area Council, Abdullahi Sabo said the judgment was a welcome development.

While commending the tribunal for not nullifying the 13,301 votes of the APC in the election, Sabo said that members of the PDP were shocked by the judgment.

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