The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has sacked the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, declaring his governorship election inconclusive.
The court on Thursday November 15th 2023, declared inconclusive, the March 18 Governorship election which produced Lawal as the elected governor of the State with a directive for a rerun.
The 3-man panel of Justices of the Court in a unanimous judgment voided and set aside the declaration of Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the election.
Reading the judgement, Justice Sybil Nwaka Gbagi, ordered that fresh election be conducted at Maradun local government area of the State and in other areas where elections were either cancelled or did not hold at all.
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 Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party winner of the election.
The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Bello Matawalle, had challenged the outcome of the March 18 governorship election at the tribunal but his petition was dismissed for lacking in merit.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the Court of Appeal declared the election as inconclusive and ordered INEC to hold a fresh election in two local governments.
The appeal court further held that the tribunal failed to properly evaluate the evidence brought before it and that the appellants placed credible evidence before the tribunal.
The court also held that the INEC Results Viewing Portal cannot be used for collation of results as done by the Tribunal, adding that IREV is meant to view results.
Reading the lead judgement Justice Sybil Nwaka Gbagi, ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state, where elections had not been held previously or where results from various polling units were not counted.
She said, “This appeal is hereby allowed. The March 2023 Governorship election held in Zamfara state is inconclusive. INEC is hereby directed to hold fresh elections in Birnin Magaji, Bukun Yum LGA, and Maradun Local Government Areas.”
Credit: Daily Post/Punch
