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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has insisted that its candidate, Engr. Musa Wada, won the November 2019 Kogi state governorship election.
Meridian Spy reported Saturday the Kogi State Governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja affirmed Yahaya Bello as the validly elected governor of the state.
Wada and the PDP had filed a petition before the tribunal challenging the re-election of Bello and the All Progressives Congress, APC in the November 16 governorship election.
But with a majority judgment of two-to-one, the tribunal upheld Bello as duly elected governor of the state.
Delivering the judgement on Saturday, Justice Kashim Kaigama, who headed the three-man panel of judges, and another member, Justice Baraka Wali, held that the petitioners failed to prove any of the grounds of their petition.
But dissenting, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, in his minority judgement, nullified the election of Mr Bello and ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in 7 local government areas where the petitioners proved their allegations of over voting, thuggery, voter intimidation, massive thumb printing and other electoral malpractices.
The tribunal also awarded the cost of N500,000 against the petitioners in favour of the respondents.
However in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, the party noted that it will never relent until it reclaims the mandate at the Appeal Court.
The PDP described the judgment of the Election Tribunal as “an alarming miscarriage of justice,” particularly as the PDP and its candidate, Wada, laid incontrovertible proofs of electoral manipulations by Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressive Congress, APC, as affirmed by Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele in his landmark dissenting judgment.
“Our party was able to lay incontestable evidence of over-voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation, thuggery, violence &other malpractices used by the APC and compromised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials to rob our candidate and the people of Kogi state of their mandate,” the party further stated.
“The PDP expressed shock that despite the overwhelming evidence before the tribunal, proving that Governor Yahaya Bello did not win the election, justice was thwarted to the disappointment of the people of Kogi state and generality of Nigerians.
“In fact, the lull and despondency that have enveloped Kogi state since the tribunal’s flawed verdict is an indication that the judgment failed to uphold justice in the genuine aspiration of the people of Kogi state in the election.
“The fact remains that the evidences are clear that our candidate is the genuine choice of the people and our party is confident that the Court of Appeal will uphold justice in this matter.
“The people of Kogi state now look up to the Appeal Court to reverse this injustice endorsed by the tribunal, given the evidence laid, as affirmed by the courageous verdict of Justice Ohimai.
The PDP however commended the judge who gave a dissenting judgement, for his fearlessness in upholding the truth and showing that there is hope in the institution of the judiciary, which the party is confident, will be further established by the Appeal Court in the matter.
“Our party is confident that the Appeal Court will address the substance of the case, which the tribunal overlooked in rendering its defective judgment,” the opposition party said.
“The people of Kogi state deserve a government elected by them and not one imposed by enemies of democracy and compromised officials at INEC.”
The PDP however urged the people of Kogi State not to despair over the judgement of the tribunal as Justice will definitely be served at the Appeal Court.
