Tribunal Passes Judgement On Elections Of Ex-Niger Gov, Sani Bello, Ndalikali As Senators

The Justice Angela Otaluka-led National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Minna, the capital city of Niger State capital, affirmed on Thursday, that the former Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, was duly elected as the lawmaker representing Niger North Senatorial District.

The Tribunal also upheld the election of Senator Peter Jiya Ndalikali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the lawmaker representing Niger South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

Recall that Bello contested the seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on February 25, 2023, and was confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to have defeated PDP’s Shehu Mohammed Abdullahi.

Unsatisfied with the poll result, Abdullahi approached the election petition tribunal, alleging that the election was marred with irregularities and the casting of multiple votes.

He prayed the tribunal, through his counsel, Barrister Hussaini Garba, to nullify the election of the former governor and declare him the winner.

However, while delivering her judgement on the matter today, Justice Otaluka averred that the petitioner failed in totality to prove the issue of overvoting and, thereby, dismissed it.

Otaluka awarded N250,000 as the cost to Abdullahi.

On the other hand, Senator Mohammed Bima of the APC also lost his petition, which challenged Ndalikali’s election victory.

Bima had alleged that he was duly elected, having scored the highest votes of the total votes cast at the Niger South Senatorial District polls.

Otaluka, however, dismissed Bima’s petition while declaring that the allegations he raised could not be substantiated, adding, “Your petition in totality lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.”