by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Kaduna on Tuesday was asked to nullify the 18th March 2023 governorship election in the state, in which Senator Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared winner, “for non-compliance with the Electoral Act.” 

Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Hon. Jonathan Asake, and the LP lead counsel, Barrister Abah Ejembi, and two of his colleagues told court during pre-hearing that the election was “marred by irregularities, massive votes buying and corruption,” asking the court to invalidate the entire process.

Speaking in an interview at end of the sitting, Barr. Ejembi said the governorship candidate and LP petition, with Ref. No. EPT/KD/Gov/2/2023, before the Governorship Tribunal “is asking for the nullification of the 18th March 2023 governorship election, in Kaduna State.”

“Our complaint before the court is of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and massive votes buying before. In our petition, we asked the court to invalidate the entire process. 

“We are asking the court to nullify the election on the basis of massive irregularities; non-compliance with Electoral Act and indeed the act of corruption in the process. Today, court sitting is for pre-hearing and we dealt with the processes and procedures that will guide the entire process, in terms of filing applications, what is required and time that will be used or needed,” he said.

The sitting was also to indicate what kinds of applications one intends to file, and which party and how and what time parties required to file the applications and to respond.

The matter was later been adjourned to 15th of June, 2023, by Chairman of the panel, Justice Victor O. Oviawe, for the hearing of all the applications that have been filed and ones to be field. Other members of the panel are, Justice D.A. Damulak and Justice N. Nonye.