Idris Wada, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 November and December governorship election, has lost his bid to upstage Yahaya Bello.
Bello is the current governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who, on Monday, got the tribunal’s nod to remain governor.
The tribunal, led by Hamima Mohammed, ruled that Wada lacked the locus standi to question the nomination of Bello.
Mohammed held that the respondents’ preliminary objection of the nomination and sponsorship of Bello as the governorship candidate of the APC was a domestic affair of the party.
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The tribunal also held that neither the petitioners, the tribunal nor any other person who did not participate in the primary of the party, had the legal capacity to inquire into the nomination of the party’s candidate.
It also upheld the preliminary of objection filed by Bello, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, challenging Wada’s petition.
The tribunal said it is still considering the merit of the petition jointly filed by Wada, his running mate, Sunday Awoniyi and the PDP, challenging the results of the supplementary election.
Wada had argued that since Bello only polled 6,805 votes in the December 5 election, he should be declared the governor.
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He said Bello could not inherit votes polled by the late Abubakar Audu, the APC candidate in the substantive election.
The tribunal held that the lawfulness or validity of votes as defined by the petitioners are not consistent with judicial authorities.
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