Kaduna State Peoples Democratic Party PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in the 2023 polls, Right Honourable Isah Mohammed Ashiru said the tribunal victory claim by Senator Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress APC is wrong and misleading, asserting that the judgment was in PDP’s favour rather than the APC.
Ashiru stressed that the tribunal has done its bits, but assured that he will move to the upper court for appeal to reclaim his mandate.
Ashiru was speaking with selected journalists at his resident in Kaduna Friday, stressing that he met with his legal team, reviewed the tribunal judgement.
“The truth of the matter is that we met yesterday with our legal team and we are in agreement that the tribunal has done its bits, but we still have something outstanding that we need to follow up.
“So we are going to the court of appeal to pursue it, I am sure the grey areas that were raised will be sorted out. We have documents to support our claims and by the special grace of God, we will come out victorious” he stressed.
Ashiru said as against what the APC claimed, the tribubal actually nullified the declaration of Senator Uba Sani as the Governor.
“The tribunal nullified the election that took place this year. Unfortunately in some media organisations, i saw it with my eyes, the state Governor Uba Sani claiming their mandate was withheld by the tribunal. It is unfortunate, most unfortunate. This is misleading and it is unexpected of a leader of his status, Kaduna State in particular that happens to be the headquarters of the north. This is unfortunate” Ashiru asserted
He stressed further that “the tribunal confirmed that the election was not concluded, therefore declaring Uba Sani as the State Governor as wrong. And they have directed INEC as an institution to withdraw his certificate (of returns) and conduct elections in 4 local governments where the elections did not take place. So for anybody to come and say their election was withheld was unfortunate”.
The PDP candidate said the majority rule of the judges that there should be reruns in 22 polling units in four local Government Areas, though not what they sought, but in their favour, added credence to the PDP’s claim that the election was inconclusive and Sani should not have been declared Governor elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
He called on Kaduna citizens to sustain their prayers and remain steadfast in being calm and law abiding
The Tribunal that delivered judgement via zoom on Thursday had earlier dismissed preliminary objection filed by Uba Sani on the timeliness of the petition filed by the PDP and its Candidate, Isah Mohammed Ashiru.
Sani had through his legal team argued that, the petition of the petitioners was filed outside the 21 days allowed by the law. The court however affirmed that the petition was filed on 10th April 2023.
The three man panel led by Justice Victor Oviawe, therefore dismissed the petition of Governor Uba Sani who is the second respondent in the case.
The tribunal also dismissed another preliminary objection filed by Uba Sani and All Progressives Congress (APC) asking the court to dismiss the petition filed by the PDP and its Candidate, Isah Mohammed Ashiru.
Sani and the APC, who are the second and third respondents in the case, had through their legal team argued that, the petitioners had abandoned their petition.
The court also dismissed the allegation of ballot stuffing made by the petitioners in their petition, ruling that, the petitioners were not able to prove their allegation, as ballot boxes allegedly stuffed were not provided as evidence in the court.
That the petitioners also failed to prove its allegation that, there was manipulation of the election results in the various polling units of Lere Local Government Areas.
The tribunal in majority ruling asserting the merit of the petition for appeal purpose however said the poll should have been declared inconclusive and ordered rerun in 22 polling unites in 4 councils of Kaduna South, Kachia, Birnin Gwari and Kudan where it said elections did not hold and the number of registered voters in those areas are more than the margin of difference between the APC and PDP which gave it the supposed wining votes.
