The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal on Wednesday dismissed the petition of APC candidate Steven Lawani against the election of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Benue South Senatorial District, Abba Moro.
Steve Lawani, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the last senatorial election, had approached the tribunal to challenge the victory of Comrade Moro at the poll.
Moro had polled 85,162, votes to defeat Lawani, who garnered 47,972 votes.
Delivering Judgement on Wednesday, Chairman of the three-man panel of the election tribunal, Justice A.A Adeleye, who read the unanimous decision of the panel, held that the petition was lacking in merit, of no substance, based on hearsay and documentary hearsay.
Reacting to the Judgement, Comrade Moro said the court’s verdict has further confirmed that he was overwhelmingly voted by the good people of Benue South to represent them at the Senate.
And on Tuesday, the Tribunal sacked the PDP candidate for Gboko West State Constituency , Terna Achii.
In the judgment, read by the chairman of the tribunal, Justice A. A Adeleye, the tribunal held that the PDP candidate did not win the election with majority of the lawful votes cast.
Justice Adeleye ordered a fresh election in five polling units in the state constituency within the next 30 days from the date of judgment.
Part of the judgement read, “In the final analysis, it is hereby declared that the second respondent was not elected by majority of lawful vote cast.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission is hereby ordered to announce a new date for fresh election in five polling units within 30 days from the date of this judgment.”
