JUST IN: Tribunal declares Kaduna guber election inconclusive

• PDP’s Ashiru had challenged the election of Uba Sani as the Governor of Kaduna State on the grounds of alleged irregularities and electoral fraud
• Tribunal directed that a supplementary election should be held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within 90 days

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna has declared the 2023 governorship election in Kaduna state inconclusive.

The tribunal, during its resumed proceeding on Thursday, in a split decision of a ratio of 2:1, declared the election inconclusive and directed that a supplementary election should be held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within 90 days.

The 3-man panel led by Justice Victor Oviawe therefore ordered a rerun of election in 24 polling units in seven wards of four local governments consisting of 16,300 registered voters.

The verdict was announced via Zoom after the judges shunned the physical hall.

Recall that The petition was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Isah Mohammed Ashiru.

PDP’s Ashiru is challenging the election of Uba Sani as the Governor of Kaduna State on the grounds of alleged irregularities and electoral fraud, saying that its Candidate (Isa Mohammed Ashiru) won the election.

Sani and the APC – second respondents, had prayed to the court to dismiss the petition of Ashiru and the PDP, in an argument that the petitioners abandoned their petition.

Earlier, the tribunal headed by Justice Victor Oviawe, affirmed that the petition filed by Ashiru and the PDP was registered on April 10, 2023.

This came after the second respondent had asked the court to dismiss the timeliness of the petition by the petitioner which it claimed to have elapsed the 21-day period granted by law.

However, tribunal today declared the election inconclusive and directed that a supplementary election should be held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within 90 days.

The 3-man panel led by Justice Victor Oviawe therefore ordered a rerun of election in 24 polling units in seven wards of four local governments consisting of 16,300 registered voters