Niger Tribunal upholds Sani Bello, Ndalikali’s victories

The Justice Angela Otaluka National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Minna High Court complex has upheld the election of a former governor of Niger, Abubakar Sani Bello now a Senator.

Senator Abubakar Sani Bello of the All Progressive Congress (APC) contested the February 25, 2023, National Assembly Election to represent the Niger North senatorial districts against the Senatorial candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Shehu Mohammed Abdullahi but lost out.

Shehu Mohammed then approached the election Petition Tribunal challenging the election of the Abubakar Sani Bello on the allegations which bothered on multiple votes adding that the election was marred with irregularities.

In his Petition to the Tribunal Shehu prayed the court through his Counsel, Barrister Hussaini Garba that the Tribunal should nullify the election of Abubakar Sani Bello and declare him the winner as he scored the highest votes cast at the February 25 National Assembly Election.

In over three hours of judgement delivered at the high court headquarters in Minna, Justice Angela Otaluka after reviewing the whole proceedings of the petition avered that the petitioner failed in totality to prove the issues of overvoting raised in his Petition saying that the petition lacked merit and ” is hereby dismissed while the second respondent in the petition election is upheld”.

Justice Angela Otaluka while dismissing the petition then awarded the sum of N250,000 as a cost to the respondent.

Similarly the election of Senator Peter Jiya Ndalikali of the People Democratic Party (PDP) of Niger South Senatorial district at the February 25, 2023 National Assembly Election has been upheld by the Tribunal.

Senator Mohammed Bima of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has filed a Petition against Senator Peter Jiya Ndalikali challenging his election at the February 25 2023 National Assembly Election.

Bima alleged that he was duly elected having scored the majority of the total vote cast at the Niger South Senatorial district and prayed the Tribunal to nullify the election of Senator Peter Jiya Ndalikali and to declare him the rightful winner of the election

Justice Angela Otaluka while dismissing the petition declared that the allegations raised in his Petition could not be substantiated and the petition in totality lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.

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