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From Ibrahim Shuaibu in Dutse
The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Dutse has dismissed the petition filed by the former senator representing Jigawa North West, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, challenging the election of Alhaji Danladi Adamu Sankara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground that it lacked merit.
Delivering the judgement on Monday, Justice Cirual Nwaya said the petitioner failed to prove his cases, and that allegations were based on hearsay.
The judge said that the petitioners filed their petition before the tribunal on the 14th day of may, 2011 via a case No/EPT/SEN/NO3/ 2011, alleging that the April senatorial election of Jigawa North senatorial district was characterised by malpractice such as stuffing of boxes with votes, multiple thumb printing and manipulating election result thereby contravening provision of the 2010 electoral act.
The petitioners also alleged that the Jigawa state government released over N4 billion from the state and local government Joint account and purchased election materials in order to rig the election in their favour.
Nwaya said the allegations were outrageous and unbelievable, because the petitioners failed to provide substantive evidence to back up their claims.
He said the petitioners also alleged that the first respondent did not attend either primary or secondary school and gave a false declaration to INEC which contravened section 31 sub section (5) and (6) of the 2010 electoral Act.
Nwaya said since he obtained a Diploma in Data processing from Sani Abacha Youth centre and chairman, chief executive of a corporate organisation named Sankara motors Nigeria limited and also, was appointed chairman of the board of Directors of Hadejia Jamaare River Basin Development Authority for four years in addition to being former National vice chairman, North west of PDP, sankara was eligible to contest the senatorial election.
The tribunal then ordered the petitioners to pay the sum of N50, 000 each to first, second, third, fourth and fifth respondents for wasting their time.