Ganduje’s Son Loses Again As Tribunal Affirms Jobe’s Election

The National/State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Kano has ruled on Tuesday to dismiss the petition filed by Umar Abdullahi Ganduje of the APC.

This petition had contested the victory of Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe of the NNPP in the Rimin Gado/Dawakin Tofa/Tofa Federal House of Representatives Election held on March 25, 2023.

The dispute arose when Abba Umar Ganduje, son of the former Kano State Governor and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenged the emergence of Abdulkadir-Jobe of the NNPP as the elected representative for Rimin Gado, Dawakin Tofa, and Tofa Constituency in the election that took place on February 25, 2023.

During the proceedings, Mr. Abdulgafar Murtala, counsel for the petitioner, argued for the court to declare Umar as the winner and overturn the initial INEC declaration that had announced Jobe as the victor.

Murtala alleged irregularities, over-voting, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act in the Rimin Gado, Dawakin Tofa, and Tofa Constituency election.

However, the legal representatives for NNPP, Ibrahim Wangida, and for Jobe, Mr. Auwal Sani, countered these claims by asserting that the election had been conducted in accordance with the 2022 Electoral Act.

In their final verdict, the three-man Panel of Judges dismissed the petition on the grounds of lacking merit. The panel concluded that the petitioner failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations made.

As a result, the tribunal ordered the petitioner to pay the respondents, jointly and severally, the sum of N200,000.