Court dismisses Labaran Maku bid to unseat Al-Makura in Nasarawa

 

The Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in High Court 4, Lafia, the state capital, on Wednesday dismissed the petition by the former Minister of Information Labaran Maku, challenging the re-election of  Governor Tanko Al-Makura State in the April 11 governorship poll in the state.

The tribunal dismissed the petition of Maku, who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, for lacking in merit.

In its judgment, the tribunal headed by Justice Halima Shammaki, said the petitioner could not prove his allegations of electoral malpractices beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Shammaki added, “The petitioner failed to provide credible evidence where he alleged that the election was marred with violence in some places, unlawful declaration of votes, inflation of figures, mutilation and over voting.

“That the petitioner could not prove beyond reasonable doubt where he alleged that card readers were not used in some polling units, he also failed to sort out ballot papers tendered before the tribunal. It was not the business of the tribunal to sort them out for the petitioner.”

Speaking after the judgment, Maku’s running mate, Alhaji Ibrahim Abu, averred that the petitioner were not satisfied with the judgment, insisting that the party was robbed.

Abu vowed that the party would head for the Appeal Court to challenge the verdict of the tribunal.

Culled from Punch