Tribunal upholds elections of former Niger gov, Sani Bello, Ndalikali as senators

The Justice Angela Otaluka-led National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Minna, the Niger State capital, has upheld the election of former governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, as lawmaker representing Niger North Senatorial District.

Otaluka awarded N250,000 as cost to the respondent, Shehu Mohammed Abdullahi.

Bello, who contested the seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on February 25, 2023, was announced to have defeated the Peoples Democratic Party’s Abdullahi.

However, Abdullahi approached the election petition tribunal, alleging that the election was marred with irregularities and the casting of multiple votes.

He prayed the tribunal, through his counsel, Barr. Hussaini Garba, to nullify the election of the former governor and declare him the winner.

Delivering her ruling on the matter, Otaluka averred that the petitioner failed in totality to prove the issues of overvoting and, thereby, dismissed it.

Also, the tribunal upheld the election of Senator Peter Jiya Ndalikali of the PDP, Niger South Senatorial District.

Senator Mohammed Bima of the APC had filed a petition against Ndalikali challenging his election and alleged that he was duly elected, having scored the highest votes of the total votes cast at the Niger South Senatorial District polls.

Otaluka dismissed Bima’s petition while declaring that the allegations he raised could not be substantiated, adding, “your petition in totality lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.”