The Abuja Court of Appeal has upheld the decision of the Gombe State Governorship Election Tribunal, which rejected the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the re-election of Governor Inuwa Yahaya from the All Progressives Congress.
In its judgment on Thursday, the Court concurred with the Tribunal, stating that the PDP’s case lacked merit.
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Governor Yahaya of the APC was declared the winner of the Governorship Election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 18, securing 342,821 votes, while Muhammad Jibrin Barde of the PDP had 233,131 votes.
Barde, dissatisfied with the results, took the matter to the Tribunal, claiming that the governor’s election violated the provisions of the Electoral Act.
His legal team argued that the PDP candidate received the majority of valid votes during the poll, alleging incidents of multiple thumb printing and ballot box stuffing in nine local government areas in favor of Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
However, the tribunal, consisting of a three-man panel, dismissed the PDP’s application, deeming it without merit.
Additionally, the tribunal removed the statements and exhibits of the PDP (INEC forms) and considered them baseless.
