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Rose Ejembi and Linus Oota
The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital has affirmed the election of the senator representing Nasarawa south senatorial district, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Suleiman Asonya Adokwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), dissatisfied with the decision of the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State entered the appeal, praying the court to set aside the decision.
It was the contention of the appeallants that votes by which Almakura was returned with as winner of the 9th March, 2019 National Assembly election are not a true reflection of what transpired.
However, in a lead judgment delivered by Honourable Justice J.E. Ekanem, JCA the appeallate court held that the appellants did not discharge the burden of prove on them and same did not shift to the respondents.
His Lordship therefore, upheld the decision of the Tribunal and dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
Honourable Justice Ekanem awarded the cost of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000. 000) Only against the appeallants.
In another judgment, the Appellate Court in Makurdi upheld the election of PDP’s Danladi Jatau, Minority Leader of the Nasarawa State Assembly.
Umar Kaiku Osu of the APC initiated the appeal, having being dissatisfied with the decision of the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
In upholding the decision of the Tribunal, Presiding Judge of the Court Honourable Justice Jumai Sankey held that there was no merit in the appeal and dismissed same.
