The Borno National and state Houses of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal has dismissed objections raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a suit filed by Malam Kudla Satumari, challenging results in Borno South senatorial district.
The PDP and its candidate, Satumari, had on March 15, filed a petition with number EPT/BO/SEN/1/2019 before the tribunal, challenging the declaration of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as winner of the election conducted on February 23.
Also joined in the petition were the APC and INEC.
The APC and its candidate, Ndume, had objected to the issues raised by Satumari and the PDP in their replies to their own reply to the petition, saying that they raised new issues.
Ruling on the objections, the tribunal sitting in Abuja, Thursday, said the issues raised by the petitioners (Satumari and (PDP) were not new.
Justice Peter Kekemeke, who heads the tribunal, held that the issues were in response to the respondents reply to the petition.
“We have painstakingly perused paragraphs 20 to 25 of the petitioners reply and the corresponding paragraphs in the 1st respondent’s reply to the petition.
“The tribunal finds that they were no new issues raised, but direct answers to the first respondent’s reply.
“It is our view that the paragraphs were proper and in accordance with section 16 of the 1st Schedule of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended.
“We have carefully looked at the petitioner’s reply and written address, it is our view that it was filed within the practice prescribed by the Electoral Act the objection is hereby dismissed”, he held.
He then adjourned until Tuesday, May 14 for continuation of pre-hearing.
In the petition, Satumari averred that the election was marred by corrupt practices and non- compliance with provision of the Electoral Act.
He, therefore, sought the order of the tribunal for cancellation of the election and for INEC to conduct fresh election for the senatorial district within 90 days.
Ndume in his reply to the petition also denied the allegations in most of the paragraphs of the petition.
In his reply filed on April 10, he averred that the said Borno South senatorial election was free and fair and not fraught with irregularities and non- compliance with the Electoral Act.
Also, Ndume denied the allegations contained in the petition and demanded the petitioners bring strict proof in accordance with the law to the extent of their materials in the petition.
He said he would prove during hearing that the petition was defective, incompetent for the compliance of the Electoral Act.
