The Plateau Elections Petition Tribunal on Wednesday in Jos upheld the election of former Gov. Joshua Dariye and Mr Victor Lar as senators representing Plateau Central and South Senatorial Districts respectively.
The duo won the April 26 National Assembly polls with Dariye contesting on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), while Lar contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dariye was challenged by Dr Dauda Gowon of the PDP, while Lar was challenged by former FCT Minister Jeremiah Useni.
Gowon and the PDP had petitioned the tribunal on grounds that Dariye was not qualified to have contested the election as he was still being tried by the EFCC over alleged theft of various sums of money when he was governor.
They also alleged massive election malpractice and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010, claiming that Dariye was not elected by the majority of the electorate.
Similarly, Useni and his party, Democratic Peoples Party, prayed the tribunal to annul Lar’s election on the grounds of massive election malpractice and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010.
The plaintiffs also alleged that Lar was not elected by the majority of the voters.
But the tribunal in its judgments on the two petitions declared that the petitioners had failed to prove their cases beyond reasonable doubt and therefore dismissed the two petitions.
Justice Suleiman Ambrusa, the Chairman of the tribunal, gave the judgments separately, saying “the petitioners (Gowon and PDP) have failed to prove their case and, therefore, the petition is hereby dismissed.”
Ruling earlier on Useni’s petition, the tribunal declared that every evidence given by witnesses was discredited and “therefore, the petitioners failed woefully to prove their case.
“By evidences before us, the April 26 election saw Lar as winner, as the election was conducted peacefully and we hereby affirm his election. Therefore, the petition stands dismissed.”
The tribunal also affirmed the election of a former Deputy Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Mr Ibrahim Baba Hassan (LP-Jos North).
Wednesday’s judgments ended the sitting of the National and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal during which 12 judgments were given.
Ambrusa, in his valedictory message, thanked the lawyers, journalists and the people of Plateau for their cooperation which made the tribunal to complete its assignment without any hitches.