Appeal Court declares Zamfara governorship election inconclusive, orders rerun in 3 LGAs

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Thursday, declared the March 18 governorship election in Zamfara State as inconclusive.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 20 declared Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election ahead of the incumbent governor, Bello Matawalle.

Matawalle, the minister of state for defence, later approached the state election petition tribunal, citing widespread fraud in the exercise.

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The tribunal dismissed the petition in a ruling delivered on September 18.

Dissatisfied with the verdict, the former governor approached the appeal court to set it aside.

In its ruling, the court ordered a rerun election in Maradun, Birnin-Magaji, and Bukyun local government areas of the state.

The panel also rejected the results provided by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC for Maradun LGA.

It held that the tribunal did not consider the evidence provided by APC in its petition.