Declare me valid winner of Bassa/Jos-North, Alkali tells tribunal

Declare me valid winner of Bassa/Jos-North, Alkali tells tribunal

Muhammad Tanko Shittu

 

The People’s Redemption Party (PRP), and its candidate Muhammad Adam Alkali, has filed a petition challenging the declaration and subsequent return of Hon. Musa Avia Agah, winner of the 26th February, bye-election into Bassa/Jos-North Federal Constituency.

The PRP and its candidate is seeking the national election tribunal to, “nullify the declaration and returned of Hon. Musa Avia Agah, as winner of the election.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INECs), returning officer, Dr. Yinka Oyerinde, has on Sunday, 27 February,2023, declared Hon. Musa Agah, of the PDP, winner of the bye-election, which results sheet was not signed by the PRP’s agent.

According to INEC returning officer, the PDP candidate pulled 40,343, as against PRPs 37,757, and APC’s 26,111.

However, the PRP’s three grounds petition pending before the tribunal alleged “over voting in many areas in favour of the PDP and it’s candidate”.

“The 1st Respondent (PDP) did not nominate and sponsor a candidate at the bye-election for the office of member, House of Representatives Bassa/Jos North federal constituency conducted on the 26th February, 2022 in accordance with the Constitution of…Nigeria, ‘and the Electoral Act,'” it averred.

The petition said the 2nd Respondent is a product of a purported primary election conducted by the delegates of the 1st Respondent from Jos North and Bassa Local Government Areas.

“The exercise that produced the executive committee and delegates that participated in the nomination of the 2nd respondent was declared invalid, null and void by the High Court of Justice Plateau state, in suit No. PLD/J276cv/2020 between ISHAYA ADAMU IZANG VS HON. MARKUS HESEINI NYAM (AKA KAUNDE), and other judgements,” it averred.

Ground two of the petition also averred that the returned of the 2nd Respondent as the elected Member of the House of Representatives was invalid by reasons of Non-substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act. 

“The 3rd Respondent (INEC), provided Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as a technological device for accreditation of intending voters at the bye-election conducted on the 26th day of February, 2022.

“The number of accredited voters on Form EC8A (II) did not tally with the verified, confirmed and authentic accreditation on the BVAS in some polling units,” the petitioners further averred.

They also stated that if the total number of votes that affected the 1st and 2nd Respondents and the Petitioners as highlighted in paragraphs 51 and 62 of their petition, the PDP and it’s candidate will be left with the total valid votes of, “25,896,” while, the PRP and its candidate will be left with, “37,384,” valid votes.”