Tribunal dismisses APC’s objections in Borno senatorial election
The Borno state National Assembly and state House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Thursday dismissed objections raised by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), Malam Kudla Satumari, in the petitiont challenging the election results for the Borno South Senatorial District.
Satumari and the PDP had on March 15, filed a petition with number EPT/BO/SEN/1/2019 before the tribunal, challenging the declaration of Sen. Mohammed Ndume as winner of the election conducted on February 23. Other defendats in the petition are the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the tribunal’s sitting yesterday, Sen. Ndume and the APC had objected to the issues raised by Satumari and the PDP in their replies to their own reply to the originating petition, saying that the petitioners raised new issues.
Ruling on the objections, Justice Peter Kekemeke, who heads the tribunal said the issues raised by the petitioners (Satumari and (PDP) were not new and held that the issues were in response to the respondents reply to their petition.
“We have painstakingly perused paragraphs 20 to 25 of the petitioners reply and the corresponding paragraphs in the first respondent’s reply to the petition. The tribunal finds that they were no new issues raised. But, direct answers to the first respondent’s reply.
“It is our view that the paragraphs were proper and in accordance with section 16 of the 1st Schedule of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended. We have carefully looked at the petitioner’s reply and written address, it is our view that it was filed within the practice prescribed by the Electoral Act; the objection is hereby dismissed,” he held.
He thereafter, adjourned the matter until May 14 for continuation of pre-hearing.
In the petition, Satumari averred that the election was marred by corrupt practices and non- compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act and is therefore, seeking the order of the tribunal to cancel the election and direct INEC to conduct fresh election for the senatorial district within 90 days.
But, Sen. Ndume in his reply to the petition April 10, denied the allegations of corrupt practices marring the poll and for non- compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, insisting that the election was free and fair and not fraught with irregularities and non- compliance with the Electoral Act.
He denied the allegations contained in the petition and demanded the petitioners bring strict proof to prove their allegations and further averred that the petition was defective and incompetent for not complying to the Electoral Act.
