*Orders INEC to conduct fresh election in 3 LGAs
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has declared the Zamfara State governorship election as inconclusive.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election.
But the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate and former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, had challenged the outcome of the March 18 governorship election at the tribunal.
The Zamfara State Election Petitions Tribunal, however, dismissed Matawalle’s petition for lack of merit.
Dissastified, Matawalle approached the Court of Appeal to seek for redress over governorship poll in the state.
Delivering its judgment on Thursday, the Court of Appeal declared the governorship election as inconclusive and ordered INEC to hold a fresh election in three local governments areas in the state.
The appellate court further held that the tribunal failed to properly evaluate the evidence brought before it and that the appellants placed credible evidence before the tribunal.
The court also held that the INEC Results Viewing Portal cannot be used for collation of results as done by the Tribunal, adding that IREV is meant to view results.
Reading the lead judgement, Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA), Justice Sybil Nwaka Gbagiz, ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, where elections had not been held previously or where results from various polling units were not counted.
She said, “This appeal is hereby allowed. The March 2023 Governorship election held in Zamfara State is inconclusive. INEC is hereby directed to hold fresh elections in Birnin Magaji, Bukun Yum LGA, and Maradun Local Government Areas.”
