By Bologi Muhammed Maikudi
The Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a petition brought before it by the former governor of the state, Capt Idris Wada (rtd), challenging the emergence of Yahaya Bello as governor.
Wada in his petition had also asked the tribunal to declare him the legally elected governor of the state.
Bello was nominated by his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to replace Prince Abubakar Audu who died before the completion of counting in the November 21 poll, though he was coasting to victory before his sudden death.
After his death, INEC declared the election inconclusive and asked APC to name a replacement.
Bello was named the replacement, and he defeated Wada in the supplementary election that held on December 5.
However, Wada challenged the outcome at the tribunal chaired by Justice Halima Mohammed.
While alleging “gross irregularities”, Wada asked the tribunal to determine whether Bello was qualified to be declared governor-elect even though he did not take part in all the electoral processes that led to the supplementary poll.
He argued that INEC contravened the electoral law by accepting to allow the APC to replace the late Audu with Bello.
He also argued that Bello went into the supplementary poll without a valid running-mate.
The running mate to the late Audu, James Faleke, had declined to run with Bello saying that as the deputy to the late Audu, the poll was technically concluded on November 21.
His own petition against Bello was earlier dismissed on Monday for lacking merit.
Justice Mohammed also dismissed Wada’s case, saying he lacked the locust standi to challenge Bello’s emergence.
She said Bello’s nomination was in line with the Electoral Act and that Wada not being a member of the APC , had no right to challenge the process.
Wada had also urged the tribunal to reject the nomination of Bello as a replacement for the late Audu because it was done outside the 21-day period allowed by the Electoral Act.
In her ruling, the tribunal chairperson said the 21-day period for the substitution of candidate did not apply in the matter since Bello “is a member of the APC and having come second in the primary election earlier conducted by the party.”
