Kogi Gov'ship Election: Fear Grip Bello And Wada's Camp As Tribunal Set To Deliver Judgment
There is palpable in Kogi State within the camp of governor Yahaya Bello of APC and PDP governorship candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, Musa Wada, after Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal Sitting in Abuja adopted the final written address of both parties and reserved judgment.
The three-man panel led by Justice Kashim Kaigama, reserved the judgment in the petition suit No.
EPT/KG/GOV/06/2019 filed by Musa Wada seeking to be declared the winner of the election.
The lead Counsel to the PDP candidate, Jibril Okutepa prayed the court to uphold the petition of of Musa Wada and return him as duly-elected governor of Kogi State having scored the highest valid votes in the election, urging the court to reject the objection of the Respondents in the petition.
The Counsel to the PDP candidate further sought the relief of the court to declare the Petitioner (Musa Wada) winner of the election on the ground that the election was marred by massive rigging and substantial noncompliance to electoral laws.
However, Counsel to the Respondent sought the relief of the court to dismiss the petition on the ground that it lacks merit.
They relied on their final written addresses in urging the court to thrown out the petition for lack of merit.
Respondents in the petition include the INEC, Governor Yahaya Bello and APC who serve as first, second and third Respondents respectively.
The PDP candidate alleged that there were over-voting in Yayaha Bello's Senatorial District, Kogi Central where the incumbent Governor secured a block vote to defeat the PDP candidate.
If Wada's prayer is granted and Tribunal canceled the votes from the Senatorial Senatorial District, then he will have his way and eventually be declared the winner of the election.
However, the possibility of this is very slim as he failed to provide the required 32 witnesses in the seven local government where he alleged there were massive rigging.
If at the end, he was unable to cancel the block votes that came from Kogi Central, there will be no hope for him as Yayaha Bello maintains a high margin of 216,518.
The outcome of this legal battle has caused palpable fear within the camp of Yahaya Bello and Musa Wada after the court adopted final written address on Thursday and court reserved judgment.
The three-man panel led by Justice Kashim Kaigama, reserved the judgment in the petition suit No.
EPT/KG/GOV/06/2019 filed by Musa Wada seeking to be declared the winner of the election.
The lead Counsel to the PDP candidate, Jibril Okutepa prayed the court to uphold the petition of of Musa Wada and return him as duly-elected governor of Kogi State having scored the highest valid votes in the election, urging the court to reject the objection of the Respondents in the petition.
The Counsel to the PDP candidate further sought the relief of the court to declare the Petitioner (Musa Wada) winner of the election on the ground that the election was marred by massive rigging and substantial noncompliance to electoral laws.
However, Counsel to the Respondent sought the relief of the court to dismiss the petition on the ground that it lacks merit.
They relied on their final written addresses in urging the court to thrown out the petition for lack of merit.
Respondents in the petition include the INEC, Governor Yahaya Bello and APC who serve as first, second and third Respondents respectively.
The PDP candidate alleged that there were over-voting in Yayaha Bello's Senatorial District, Kogi Central where the incumbent Governor secured a block vote to defeat the PDP candidate.
If Wada's prayer is granted and Tribunal canceled the votes from the Senatorial Senatorial District, then he will have his way and eventually be declared the winner of the election.
However, the possibility of this is very slim as he failed to provide the required 32 witnesses in the seven local government where he alleged there were massive rigging.
If at the end, he was unable to cancel the block votes that came from Kogi Central, there will be no hope for him as Yayaha Bello maintains a high margin of 216,518.
The outcome of this legal battle has caused palpable fear within the camp of Yahaya Bello and Musa Wada after the court adopted final written address on Thursday and court reserved judgment.
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