Sokoto Politics: Abuja High Court upholds Tambuwal’s election

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday upheld the election of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole in a judgment said the two All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants, Senator Umar Dahiru and Aliyu Abubakar Sanyinna, could not prove the allegation of irregularities in the primary.

He said even if the applicants had succeeded in proving that there were irregularities in the primary, the court could not grant the reliefs since it was not an election petitions tribunal and therefore lacked the jurisdiction.

The aspirants had alleged that the December 2014 APC primary was fraught with irregularities and breach of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010, the APC Guidelines for  nomination of public offices and the 1999 constitution.

Speaking after the judgment, S.I. Ameh (SAN) said it was a confirmation of the election that brought Governor Tambuwal, adding that it proved the suit was dead on arrival.

But counsel to the aspirants, Abdulhamid Mohammed, said they would study the full judgment with a view to filing an appeal against it.