Tribunal Reserves Judgement in Matawalle’s Petition Challenging Zamfara Governor’s Victory
- The election tribunal has reserved judgement in a petition challenging the victory of Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal
- The Justice Cordelia Ogadi-led tribunal said a later date would be communicated to all the parties involved
- Former Zamfara state Governor Bello Matawalle filed a petition challenging the victory of Governor Lawal
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Sokoto state - Zamfara State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Sokoto has reserved judgement in a petition challenging the victory of Governor Dauda Lawal at the March 18 gubernatorial election.
The former governor of the state, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, filed a petition challenging the authenticity of the governorship election result, Vanguard reported.
Source: Facebook
The three-person panel of judges led by Justice Cordelia Ogadi said a later date would be communicated to all the parties involved.
Why Bello Matawalle file a petition
Matawalle’s counsel, Barrister Usman Sule, said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had excluded the result sheet of 98,564 votes in the Maradun Local Government Area.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
Sule added that INEC declared a winner when elections were not concluded in some council areas of the state.
Lawal prayed the tribunal to dismiss Matawalle’s petition challenging his victory for lack of merit.
Governor, PDP and INEC want petition dismissed
The governor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC cited a case of Gboyega Oyetola versus Ademola Adeleke,
The responders said Matwalle failed to prove his case and urged the tribunal to strike out the petition immediately.
Pressure piles on Zamfara gov as calls for resignation heighten
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that amid the insecurity challenge in Zamfara State, there are agitations and calls for Governor Dauda Lawal to resign and step down from office.
The spokesperson to the former Zamfara State Governor, Comrade Abdullah Anas Kaura, made this call via a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, August 16.
Matawalle accused of embezzling billions, donates N200m for Sallah
Bello Matawalle, the immediate past governor of Zamfara, has donated N200 million to various categories of people in the state for the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations.
Matawalle had been accused of stealing public funds while in office.
The 54-year-old, who lost his second term bid as Zamfara state governor and left office on May 29, 2023, is being investigated by Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly stealing billions of naira of state funds while in office.
“Zamfara govt prioritising family, friends over welfare of masses” - Kaura
Governor Dauda Lawal Dare has been criticised for his approach to insecurity in Zamfara State.
The spokesperson to Governor Dauda's predecessor, Anas Abdullahi Kaura, said the current administration is prioritising friends and family of the people of Zamfara State.
He called for the intervention of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) MD Abubakar and General Ali Gusau to address the security issues troubling Zamfara State.
Source: Legit.ng
