From BEN NGWAKWE, Gombe
THE petition filed against Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo’s victory at the April 11, 2015 polls by Jafar Abubakar of African Democratic Congress, ADC has been dismissed by the Governorship Petition Tribunal sitting in Gombe.
Justice A.A. Nwobodo, Chairman of the tribunal dismissed the petition for lack of merit and inability to prove the case beyond reasonable doubts.
“On whichever way one decides to look at it, this petition is bound to fail and has indeed failed. We hereby dismiss the case for lack of merit,” he had said.
The petitioner challenged Dankwambo’s victory on the grounds that he was not truly elected by the majority lawful votes and non-compliance to electoral act as amended.
He had, among others, pleaded that the certificate of return given to Governor Dankwambo by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC be declared null and void and of no effect.
Justice Nwobodo said allegations of alteration, non-authentication and mutilation of figures on form EC8A which are criminal in nature need adequate proof which the petitioner could not convince the tribunal on.
He said the tribunal also laid to rest other allegations raised in the petition and evidences produced before it, ruling them either as hearsays or documentary hearsays.