Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
A Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto yesterday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by the All progressive Congress (APC) and its candidate, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, challenging the election of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Sokoto, through his lead counsel, Dr. Alex Iziyon SAN, pleaded the Appellate Court on 35-ground to upturn the judgement of lower tribunal which affirmed the election of Tambuwal.
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Abbas Bawale on October 2 upheld the election of Tambuwal and dismissed the petition filed by APC and its candidate for lack of merits.
Dissatisfied with the decision of tribunal, Sokoto approached the Court of Appeal, praying the court to set aside the tribunal judgement.
When the case came up for hearing before the five-man panel, the appellant urged the court to determine the case based on its merit.
The lead counsel to the second respondent, S. I. Ahamed SAN, together with the counsel to first and third respondents, T. M. Inuwal and Oluwayo Akinbolu, both SANs, urged the court to dismiss the appeal.
In another development the counsel to the second respondent filed a cross-appeal, challenging the eligibility of the appellant which the counsel to appellant strongly opposed, saying the matter had been resolved by the Supreme Court in the case between President Muhammadu Buhari and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Listening to the arguments, the presiding judge, Justice Usaini Mukhtar, said the court has reserved judgment, saying the date would be communicated to both parties.
