Zamfara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Affirms Dauda Lawal’s Victory.
The Zamfara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, convened in Sokoto, has upheld the election victory of Dauda Lawal, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Governor of Zamfara State. This verdict dismisses the petition lodged by Bello Matawalle, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who contested the outcome of the March 18 governorship election.
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The tribunal found Matawalle’s petition to be without merit and imposed a fine of N500,000 on the petitioner. Justice Cordelia Ogadi, the chairman of the three-member panel, delivered the judgment, emphasizing that the petitioner failed to substantiate his claims. Key points from the tribunal’s ruling include:
- Wrongful Collation of Results: The tribunal stated that Matawalle did not provide sufficient evidence to support his allegations of wrongful collation of election results.
- Exclusion of Maradun LGA Results: Matawalle’s claim regarding the exclusion of results for the Maradun Local Government Area was not proven to the satisfaction of the tribunal.
- Election Irregularities: The tribunal did not find credible evidence to support the claim of non-compliance by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the Electoral Act or allegations of corruption in the election process.
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All three justices on the panel, including Justice Cordelia Ogadi, Justice Bello Hassan, and Justice Aliyu Gegele, were unanimous in their decision to uphold Lawal’s election victory.
In response to the verdict, legal counsels involved in the case expressed their opinions. Solomon Akunna (SAN), the lead counsel for Governor Lawal, praised the judgment as well-considered and legally sound. Ishaka Dikko, the lead counsel for INEC, affirmed the credibility of the election and expressed confidence in the tribunal’s decision.
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Usman Sure (SAN), representing the petitioner, indicated that further instructions from their client would determine whether they would appeal the tribunal’s verdict, as they believed the election results did not accurately reflect the people’s choice. The tribunal’s decision marks a significant milestone in the political landscape of Zamfara State and is expected to have lasting implications for the governance of the state.
