On Monday, the Bauchi State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) lost six petitions at the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.
While delivering judgements on the petitions brought before them by the defeated candidates of the APC in the last general elections, the two Tribunals dismissed the petitions for lacking in merit.
The two Tribunals that were headed by Chairmen, Justices Folabi Ajayi and A I Ebong respectively, passed judgements in their separate Courts sited within the Bauchi State High Court Complex.
At the NASS Elections Petition which sat at High Court Two, where the judgements were passed by Chairman of the Three man panel, Justice A.I Ebong, Journalists covering the Election Tribunals were denied access to the tribunal.
The staff and security personnel claimed at the entrance of the court room, that they have been directed not to allow Journalists inside the court room.
The five petitions dismissed by the NASS Tribunal are those of Bauchi Central Senatorial seat between the defeated APC candidate, Uba Ahmed Nana (pettioner) and the winner, Sen Abdul Ahmed Ningi of the PDP joined by, INEC, PDP as Respondents.
Another one is the .Ningi/ Warji Federal Constituency, between Abdulahi Sa’ ad Abdulkadir, Petitioners of APC against Adamu Hashimu Ranga, INEC, PDP as Respondents as well as the Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, between Bashir Bello, Petitioner of APC and Versus Mansur Manu Soro, INEC, PDP Respondents
The rest are: Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency between Sabo Bappayo Ahmed, petitioner of APC against Bappa Aliyu Misau of the PDP INEC, Respondents and Katagum Federal Constituency, Gali Mohammed, pettioner APC against Auwal Gwallabe, PDP, INEC as Respondents.
The only State Assembly petition was for Dass state assembly Constituency, between the Bala Ali, the petitioner of APC and Ahmed Abdullahi ,INEC, PDP as Respondents.
The Tribunals in their separate judgments on the petitions, declared that the Pettioners and their witnesses failed to prove their allegations beyond all reasonable doubts.
The Tribunals averted that some of the witnesses’ statements presented were based on assumptions which is not admissible, citing section,137 paragraph 6 of the 2022 electoral act.
Counsels to the Petitioners, when approached on weather they are satisfied with the judgments of the Tribunals, they said they will meet with their clients for the next step of actions.
The Petitioners were awarded various sums of money ranging from N200,000 to N500 000 being fines imposed on the petitioners respectively.
However, the APC as a party has rejected the judgements delivered by the Two Tribunals against all its candidates who filled petitions against the declaration of INEC.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Ali Adamu Jalla, described the judgements as laughable wondering how the party would loose all 6 petitions for the same reasons from two different Tribunals.
He declared without hesitation that the APC would appeal the judgements, expressing hope and confidence that the APC candidates would get judgment at the higher court.
Ali Adamu Jalla said that the Tribunals abandoned all the reasons for the petitions and introduced new things that they could not understand, appealing to the party’s supporters to remain calm and peaceful.
