Follow Us on Google
Adamawa Election Petition Tribunal upholds PDP’s Fintiri’s election, dismisses APC’s case
Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The election petition tribunal seating in Yola has dismissed the petition filed by the APC in Adamawa State seeking to upturn the election of PDP’s Ahmadu, Umaru Fintiri, saying the court does not make an order in vain since the beneficiary of the election would be a person that was not a party to the case. It added that the petition failed to adduce credible evidence to substantiate its claims of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.
Delivering the judgement which lasted for about nine hours, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Adediran Adebara, held that he was dismissing the case on two grounds: that the petitioners – the APC – failed to join the former Governor Umaru, Jibrilla Bindow, as a party to the case, hence it was very fatal to the petition because all the reliefs the APC was praying the court to grant, Bindow who was not a petitioner would be a beneficiary and the court does not make an order in vain, hence the petition was not competent.
The judge also held thatAdamawa Election Petition Tribunal upholds PDP’s Fintiri’s election, dismisses APC’s case the petitioners had alleged that INEC in the conduct of the elections that produced Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, there was non-compliance to Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.
The judge maintained that after listening to both parties’ argument, it was discovered that the petitioners failed to adduce credible evidence to substantiate their allegations.
Reacting to the judgement, the Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu, Umaru Fintiri, described the judgement as a confirmation of the people’s mandate and a motivation for him to make Adamawa work again.
He made this known in a press statement issued to newsmen by his Director-General, Media and Communication, Solomon Kumangar, shortly after the judgement.
Kumangar said: “Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has described the judgment of the election tribunal upholding his election and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as a re-affirmation of the people’s mandate and an added impetus to his drive to make Adamawa State work again.
“He lauded the election petition tribunal for being upright and just and thanked the entire citizens of Adamawa State for their support and prayers.
“Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri also extended a hand of fellowship to the opposition parties to join him in revamping the battered fortunes of Adamawa State.
“The governor restated his firm resolve to work for the good of the people of Adamawa State and never to let them down.”
