Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Jibrin Barde and of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Nafi’u Bala have separately taken the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, to the election tribunal for emerging winner of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state.
Governor Yahaya was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Professor Maimuna Waziri, after he polled 342,821 votes, while his closest challenger and candidate of the PDP, Barde, scored 233,131 and the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s Khamisu Mailantarki came distant third with 19,861 votes.
According to Punch, Barde’s respondents include INEC, Yahaya, and his party, the All Progressives Congress.
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The petition partly read,” The 1st Petitioner, Jibrin Muhammad Barde, who voted and had the right to vote and be voted for was a candidate at the election to the office of Governor of Gombe State held on the 18th day of March 2023 (“the election”).
“The 1st Petitioner contested the said election on the platform of and was sponsored by the 2nd petitioner, and states that he has a right to be returned as elected at the said election.
“The 2nd Petitioner, the PDP is a duly registered political party in Nigeria that sponsored the 1st petitioner to contest the election into the office of Governor of Gombe State held on the 18 day of March 2023.”
A source at the Tribunal who spoke on the condition of anonymity said there would be an inaugural proceeding next Tuesday.
“We will hold our Tribunal’s inaugural sitting on May 2, 2023, by 9 am.
Some other petitions sighted include that of the candidate of the PDP in Gombe Central senatorial district, Abubakar Aliyu, against adjudged winner Danjuma Goje of the APC; Victor Mela member representing Billiri/Balanga against the winner and candidate of the PDP, Isa Ali.
Others are Ahmad Bose of the PDP against the current member representing Akko Federal Constituency and the winner of the election into the House of Representative seat in the area, APC’s Usman Kumo; David Yako of Labour Party against the adjudged winner Anthony Yaro of the PDP and Gombe State lone female member in the House of Assembly Asma’u Ignanus of APC against winner Zubairu Ayala of PDP.
