The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has voided the election of Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state.
The Appallet court has declared as inconclusive, the March 18 governorship elections in the State which produced Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, nullified the return of Governor Dauda Lawal as the winner of the gubernatorial contest.
Justice Sybil Nwaka, who read the judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election in three Local Government Areas, of Zamfara state, where elections did not hold previously or where results from various polling units were not counted or even cancelled.
The local governments are Bukkuyum, Birni Magaji, and Maradum.
The Appallet court held that, it was wrong for INEC to rely on information it obtained from its IReV portal, to collate the final result of the governorship election.
The Court held that the use of IREv information to declare Lawal as governor in the absence of polling units results were unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.
The judgement followed an appeal instituted before the court by the immediate past Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election.
Matawalle had challenged Lawal’s victory on the grounds that, Lawal did not score the highest votes in the election.
Matawalle argued that, the margin of lead was less than the registered voters where elections were concelled, stating that, the election was invalid as it does not conform with the electoral act.
He also argued that, the Trial Tribunal erred in law in its verdict for striking out some paragraphs in the petition for being abandoned.
Matawalle also argued that the Tribunal erred in law when it held that the evidences by prosecution witnesses PWs 1-17 were mere heresay and inadmissible.
The Zamfara State Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto state, had affirmed the election of Dauda Lawal as the state’s duly elected governor.
The Tribunal dismissed a petition filed by Matawalle, challenging Lawal’s victory.
In a judgement on September 18, the tribunal said the petition lacked merit.
Lawal defeated Matawalle in the March 18 governorship election.
The result was announced by INEC returning Officer, Kassimu Shehu.
According to Shehu, Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP got 377,726 votes, while Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was then an incumbent governor, polled 311,976 votes.
Governor Lawal has fourteen days within which to appeal .
Confidence Okwuchi
