2023 National/ State Assembly Election Results: Adamawa Tribunal Receives 8 Petitions 

The Election Petition Tribunal in Adamawa State has received eight (8) petitions, challenging National/ State Assembly seats contested in the just concluded general elections.

(The Presidential/ National Assembly Elections were held on the 25th February 2023, while the Governorship/ State Assembly polls were rescheduled for 18th March, 2023).

Contestants on the platform of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), have approached the tribunal, seeking nullification of results declared in favour of candidates of the major opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Similarly, a PDP candidate and an Action Alliance (AA) candidate have also filed petitions, praying for an order of the court to nullify elections won by APC candidates.

The PDP seats being contested at the tribunal include one (1) senatorial seat won by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Aminu Iya Abbas, to represent Adamawa Central.

State Assembly

On the state level, the House of Representatives seats that are being challenged include Mubi North/Mubi South and Maiha constituency won by Jingi Rufai and Gombi/Hong constituency won by Shuaibu James Barka.

Other PDP winners dragged before the tribunal are: Mohammed Salihu (Abba Girei), Muhammed Inuwa Bassi and Zakaria Dauda Nyampa elected to represent Girei/Yola North and Yola South; Mayo Belwa/Jada/Ganye/Toungo as well as Michika/Madagali constituencies respectively.

The son of Murtala Nyako, former Governor of the State, Senator Abdul-aziz Nyako, who is leading the petitions, has asked the court to nullify the election of Aminu Iya Abbas and five (5) other PDP winners.

Ja’afar Abubakar Magaji  is seeking to upturn results as declared for Mubi North/Mubi South/Maiha federal constituency, while APC’s Yusuf Captain Buba is up to grab the seat won by Barka.

Other APC petitioners are Baba Zango Abubakar, Ibrahim Mas’ud Usman and Joseph Ayuba Kwada. They are seeking the nullification of the elections of Mohammed Salihu (Abba Girei), Muhammed Inuwa Bassi and Zakaria Dauda Nyampa.

For their part, Rev. Amos Kumai Yohanna of the PDP has sued Senator Ishaku Abbo of the APC, challenging his election to represent Adamawa Northern Senatorial District, while Taslim Ahmed Iya of Action Alliance (AA) is contesting the election of Muhammed Inuwa Bassi.

In his petition, Rev. Amos Yohanna alleged that the election of Senator Cliff is invalid by reasons of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

He averred that Senator Ishaku Abbo was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast during the election, alleging overvote at various polling units, false entries, alteration and cancellation of votes at several polling units.

He also sought an order of the court, returning him as the duly elected candidate for the seat, having polled the highest number of lawful votes cast during the exercise.

In the same vein, in his petition, Senator Abdulaziz Murtala Nyako, urged the court to nullify the election of Aminu Iya Abbas, alleging massive irregularities.