LG Election: Adamawa tribunal affirms Guyuk LG Chairman Certificates

By Tom Garba

The Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola on Friday has stroke out the case instituted by the Labour Party Candidate, Dandume Gamaliel against the incumbent Chairman of Guyuk Local Government area, Shalom Dangi Kassa asking the Court to void his victory at the Local Government elections conducted on 13th July 2024 in Adamawa state.

In a suit, Petition No.LGET/ADSY/001/01/2024, the complainant, Labour Party Candidate, Dandume Gamaliel through his Counsel Joshua Onoja, had dragged Shallon Dangi Kassa, the incumbent Chairman, Guyuk Local Government area, the state Independent Electoral Commission and State Working Committee to the Tribunal.

He declared that Shallon Dangi Kassa having presented a forged School Certificate to Adamawa state Independent Electoral Commission is not qualified to contest or hold the office of Chairmanship of Guyuk Local Government area.

The complainant, therefore seek an order of the court to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued by ADSIEC to Kassa and declared the Labour Party Candidate, Dandume Gamaliel as winner of the Chairman of Guyuk Local Government area or conduct a re-rerun election in to the Chairmanship office within 30 days.

The petioner during the trial tendered before the Tribunal, Kassa’s alleged forged School Certificate result generated from the Website of Sahara Reporters as published by the international Medium.
The Chairman of Guyuk, Shalom Kassa through his Counsel and both the parties joined as defendants in the suit argued and posited on the originality of the said School Certificate praying the court to throw away the petition.

The Tribunal Chairman, Daniel John adduced that the evidences and exhibits tendered by the complainants are inadmissible in law because the electronic School Certificate of Shallom Daniel Kassa generated from the website of Sahara Reporters and tendered before the court is immaterial as it must be certified by an authority.

Daniel John buttress the judgement after quoting many legal documents including landmark citations from the Supreme court that the isssuer of the said School Certificate would have personally appeared before the Tribunal tendering the Original and the fake result,so that the Court can decipher between the fake one possessed by Kassa as claimed by the petioner in the suit.

According to the Jurist,it would be wrong for the Tribunal to clap with one hand on the academic exercise.

The Chairman of the 3-member Tribunal, Daniel John while delivering the judgement said in the principles and position of the law, the Tribunal was of the view that the petitioners failed woefully to prove their case before the court. as required by the law and therefore dismissed it in it’s entirety for want of merit.

Concurrently, the Tribunal also dismissed cases in favour of Shuaibu Babas , Chairman Fufore,Adamu Umaru Dalatu,Girei,Musa Hassan, Mubi-North,Idris Yahaya,Song, Abubakar Mustapha,Maiha, Markus Ishaya of Gombi and Barrister Jibrin of Yola-North Local Government area.

The Council Chairmen were all challenged by African Democratic Congress (ADC) for non-compliance with Adamawa state Electoral Law 2022.

A 7-days Right of Appeal from the day of the judgement delivered was also granted to any aggrieved party to seek redress.