Tribunal upholds Taraba ex-speaker’s election as assembly member

The election petition tribunal sitting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, yesterday upheld the election of a former speaker of the state house of assembly and member representing Takum Ussa Donga Federal Constituency, Mark Bako Useni. Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Istifanus Gbana, a former speaker of the state assembly, his party and […]

The election petition tribunal sitting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, yesterday upheld the election of a former speaker of the state house of assembly and member representing Takum Ussa Donga Federal Constituency, Mark Bako Useni.

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Istifanus Gbana, a former speaker of the state assembly, his party and Liman Shawulu of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) had filed petitions challenging the victory of Useni as member representing the Federal Constituency at the tribunal.

The petitioners approached the tribunal on grounds of non-compliance with the electoral act in the rerun election in the constituency. Both parties sought for nullification of the election over alleged non-compliance with the electoral laws by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the election.

They also argued that the former speaker who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not get the lawful number of votes to be declared as the winner of the election.

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The three-member panel led by Justice Benson Ogbu during his ruling dismissed the petitions of the two candidates and their parties, saying “The petitions collapsed on failure of proof by the petitioners.”

Justice Ogbu while reading the judgement stated that during the cross examination, counsels to Useni were able to prove to the tribunal that the candidate of the APC won the election with lawful votes “And his election remain valid in the eyes of the law.”

Reacting to the judgement, Hon. Mark Useni, described the judiciary as the hope for the common Nigerians.