The Election Petitions Tribunal  in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has struck out the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against,former Governor  Tanko  Al-Makura’s victory in  the March 9 ,2919 Nasarawa South senatorial election.

The candidate of the PDP  for the election, Suleiman Adokwe, had approached the tribunal to nullify Al-Makura’s election, saying  the Independent National Electoral Commission didn’t comply  with the Electoral Act in  declaring the All Progressives Congress candidate  the winner of the polls.
Adokwe also alleged intimidation and electoral fraud by  the APC.But the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice David Ugoh, who read the unanimous judgment on Friday, declared that the petition lacked merit.

Ugoh  said  the petitioner failed to prove that the respondent did not score the highest lawful votes cast in the election.He added that the petitioner also failed to prove non-compliance with the Electoral Act, how voters were prevented from voting and how the  results of the election were illegally  cancelled.

He said, “We, therefore, uphold the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.” While expressing dissatisfaction over the judgment, counsel for  Adokwe said  they would study the ruling and decide on the next line of action.