Tribunal dismisses CPC petition in Lafia

From Habibu Umar Aminu, Lafia
Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia yesterday dismissed the petition filed by Ibrahim Aboki of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) challenging the return of Abdullahi Adamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner for Nasarawa west senatorial election.
INEC returned Adamu of the PDP as the duly elected senator having polled the majority lawful votes in the last April National Assembly election, a result the CPC and its candidate are challenging this at the tribunal.
The tribunal Chairman Steven Okon in a two hour judgment delivered at the Court three venue of the tribunal upheld the election of Adamu of the PDP for non-compliance with paragraph 18 (1) and 47(2) of the first schedule of the amended electoral Act.
Equally the Judge maintained that for non-compliance with the said paragraph the tribunal has no option than to dismiss the case with the cost 30,000 Naira awarded to the respondent.
New Nigerian reports that this is the second time the CPC petition was dismissed by the tribunal. The first was due to the inability of the petitioner to submit pre-hearing information sheet and some documents to the court and the respondent respectively to enable them prepare for the case. however the tribunal said the petitioner could relist the case when he was ready. The petitioners later relisted the case before it was subsequently dismissed by the tribunal for non compliance with paragraph 18 (1) and 47(2) of the first schedule of the amended electoral Act.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the ruling, Nasarawa state PDP legal adviser Barrister Hassan Yakubu while thanking God for the tribunal commended the chairman and members which he described as landmark achievement.
Barrister Yakubu also cited the case of former Kano sate governor Mallam Ibrahim shekarau and Suleiman Riruwai which appeal court dismissed on non-compliance with same section.