Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has described as laughable, the decision of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge his victory at the polls 2019 governorship election.
The Elections Petitions Tribunal had upheld the election of Masari, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, a decision which the PDP challenged at the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna.
The Appeal Court during its sitting on Thursday affirmed the decision of the election tribunal and confirmed Masari as dully-elected governor of Katsina State.
Reacting on the development on Thursday night, Masari told reporters that “the victory is not mine alone, it is victory for the entire people of Katsina State who trouped out and voted for us with over 1.2 million votes.
“It is only in Nigeria that somebody who scored less than one quarter of the votes of the opponent still goes ahead to contest the election results.
“But they are exercising their constitutional rights. I am happy and I am sure most of you are also happy, if not all of you.”
But Masari confessed that he was actually disturbed on the eve of the Appeal Court ruling on the matter because, “you never can tell with any matter that goes to court until judgement is delivered.
“I have been in politics for the past 23 years. I have contested elections where I won some and lost some others.
“I am a strong believer in God. So, the issue of not sleeping on the eve of the Appeal Court ruling did not arise but I was worried.
“Now, we will be more focused, now that the Court of Appeal has affirmed the majority judgement of the election tribunal in our favour.
“We know that they (PDP) will proceed to the Supreme Court and we are also prepared to meet them there.”
Meanwhile, the Emir of Daura, Dr. Umar Farooq Umar, was among numerous callers at the Government House on Friday to felicitate with Masari.