Tribunal verdict on Kaduna state govnorship election and wetin e mean for di parties involved

Di govnorship election petition tribunal wey siddon for Kaduna state don dismiss di petition wey di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and dia candidate for di 2023 election, Isah Ashiru file against di victory of Govnor Uba Sani of di All Progressives Congress (APC).

Channels Television report say inside di judgment of two against one, dem deliver on Thursday, a three-member panel wey dey headed by Justice Victor Oviawie dismiss di petition on di ground say di pre-hearing notice bin dey filed out of time and dat na why dem throway am.

Di tribunal chairman and anoda member hold say di appeal wey PDP and Ashiru bring against di dismissal of dia petition for di preliminary stage by di first and second defendants no get merit because di filing of di pre-hearing notice bin dey abandoned and out of time, and e affect di entire petition.

Di tribunal meanwhile note say if to say dem no dismiss di petition for lack of merit, dem for order a supplementary election for 22 polling units within 90 days for di substantive judgement.

Afta di election on 18 March, di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) declare Uba Sani of di All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of di govnorship election.

Na Returning Officer for Kaduna State and Vice Chancellor of di Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Professor Lawal Suleiman Bilbis bin declare di result.

According to di result, Sani poll 730,002 to beat im closest challenger Mohammed Isa Ashiru of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wey poll 719,196

Labour Party (LP) candidate, Jonathan Asake come third afta polling 58,285 votes while di New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate, Suleiman Hunkuyi score 21,405 votes.

Both camp claim victory

Meanwhile for dia reaction to di judgement, both sides bin claim victory for di court verdict.

Di PDP govnorship candidate Isa Mohammed Ashiru for statement thank God for wetin e say na di progress made so far to reclaim im mandate while e explain wetin di judgement mean.

E say: "On di preliminary objection, di tribunal based on di majority of 2:1 judges uphold di preliminary objection of di respondent to di effect say di application for pre-hearing dey done prematurely i.e. before di service of di last set of petitioners reply to di 2nd respondent reply to di petition bin dey served."

E add say but di law enjoin di tribunal, as a trial court, to go on to pronounce on di merit of di substantive suit so dat in di event say di court of appeal find say di trial tribunal bin dey wrong for im decision on di preliminary objection, e go get di benefit of pronouncing on di decision of di tribunal for di substantive matta.

"Di trial tribunal find merit for di aspect of di petitioner case wey relate to di margin of win between di two leading candidates. Di tribunal by a split decision of 2:1 accordingly, nullify di election of di govnor of Kaduna state, order say make dem retrieve di Certificate of Return and conduct fresh elections for some polling units for 4 LGAs and make dem check di outcome before di declaration of di winner of di govnorship election for Kaduna state." E statement add.

Kaduna State Govnor Senator Uba Sani wey be di APC candidate for di election also welcome di judgment of di tribunal describing di verdict "as a win for democracy, di rule of law, validation of di pipo will and above all, God's decree."

E add say e consider di verdict "not only as a win but a call to action, a call to deliver on our campaign promises as captured in di SUSTAIN agenda . Dis victory na testament to di strength of our great judicial institutions and a proud moment for me as one of di pioneer advocates for democratic governance in Nigeria decades ago.” E tok.

Wetin APC lawyer tok

APC lawyer Sanusi Musa (SAN) tell BBC say wetin happun be say di tribunal dismiss di suit wey di PDP candidate file before dem.

E tok say di court say PDP no bin fit prove dia allegation say rigging happun for di election on March 18 2023.

E tok say on dia part, dem prove to court say di whole suit get K-leg because PDP to file am within di required time frame.

“Two out of di three judges bin tok say na 22 polling units get problem and dem get 16,000 votes wey suppose mean say rerun go happun but di lead judge tok say di actual number no reach 22 and di whole votes na 7,000 na why e no touch di overall election result.”

Di lawyer say di most important tin for di end na say court dismiss PDP petition and na Uba Sani be di rightful govnor of Kaduna state.

Wetin PDP lawyer tok

PDP lawyer Barrister Baba Lawal Aliyu say as far as e dey concern, court say make INEC conduct election for four local goment areas of di state.

“Na panel of three judges wey give two judges di majority and na those two judges tok say make anoda election happun while one judge na im affirm Uba Sani as govnor.”

E also tok say na two judgements comot from di tribunal wey create confusion and dem disagree with am and dem go move di case forward.

Neutral lawyer analyse wetin happun for court

Meanwehile Barrister Bulama Bukarti wey follow di judgement tok say notingdey confusing about di outcome of di judgement.

“Di confusion wey pipo dey tok about na just from lawyers from both camps but anybody wey know law understand wetin happun.”

“Wetin APC lawyers do be say dem challenge di main foundation of di PDP suit as per say dem no fulfil some requirements and na on dat ground court dismiss PDP challenge.”

“But di way law dey work be say if lower court dismiss suit challenger get right to move to upper court to look into di mata.”