Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State

The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja Friday affirmed the decision of the Niger State Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the election of Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu as the winner of the April 26, 2011 governorship election in the State.

The presiding judge, Justice Uwani Abba Aji, who read the judgment, dismissed the appeal filed by the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Alhaji Ibrahim Bako Shettima for his failure to produce enough evidence to prove the allegation that the April 26, 2011 gubernatorial election in Niger state was marred by rigging and irregularities.

The presiding judge said the appeal filed by the Congress for Progressive Change lacked of merit.

In a reaction, Governor Aliyu expressed satisfaction with the decision of the court, saying the PDP-led government in Niger state had been vindicated that the party and indeed he (Mu’azu Aliyu) was the one duly elected as governor in the April 26, 2011 governorship poll in the state.