The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto State, on Friday, dismissed the petition against the elections of Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto North).
In a unanimous judgement read by the tribunal chairperson, Justice Josephine Oyefeso, on behalf of Justices Haruna Muhammad and Eke Eze, upheld the election and dismissed the petition for lack of merit.
Oyefeso said the petitioner were unable to prove the allegations contained in the petitions beyond reasonable doubts as required by law.
She said the burden of proving a petition solely relied on the petitioners adding that the witnesses and exhibits presented were not tangible enough to contradict the electoral body’s decisions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former deputy governor of the state, Manniru Dan’iya, who was the PDP candidate during the February 25 election had challenged the return of Wamakko.
He also prayed the tribunal to declare him as the legitimate winner and duly elected Senator.
Dan-iya argued that Wamakko was not qualified to contest the election as he did not attach copies of credentials while completing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) forms and the election flouted electoral guidelines.
