Sokoto Election Petition Tribunal Admits Gov. Aliyu, Deputy’s INEC Forms in Evidence

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto state, Tuesday, admitted as exhibits the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) completed nomination forms of Gov. Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto state and his Deputy, Idris Gobir.

Tribunal Chairman, Justice Haruna Mshelia, admitted the certified true copies of documents along with INEC political wards and local government areas election results of March 18 governorship elections in Sokoto state.

The documents were tendered through Dr Garba Tetengi SAN, lead Counsel of the Petitioner, Malam Sa’idu Umar, the gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is challenging the return of Aliyu of All Progressive Congress (APC), as the governor of Sokoto state.

Umar and the PDP, who participated in the election argued that the election was flawed with alleged irregularities.

Umar and PDP approached the Tribunal demanding the nolification of the election outcomes on alleged electoral flaws arguing that the election did not comply with electoral laws.

Umar argued that at the time of the election, the respondents were not qualified to contest the election and prayed that by virtue of the non-qualification of the respondents to contest the election, votes were wrongfully attributed to the respondents in the said election and became unlawful or wasted votes, null and void.

He further prayed the Tribunal to mandate INEC to issue a new Certificate of Return to the petitioner as the duly elected governor of Sokoto State having scored the majority of the lawful votes cast or order another election excluding the respondents.

Counsel to Aliyu and Gobir, Chief Jacob Ochidi SAN, and that of APC, Mr Hassan Liman SAN, respectively objected to the admissibility of the documents and reserved their arguments to come in written addresses.

Counsel to INEC, Mr AbdulAziz Sani SAN, did not object to the admissibility of the documents.

Tribunal Chairman, Mshelia adjourned the sitting till June 14, for continuation of hearing.