Senator Bukola Saraki:

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin has upheld the election of Senator Bukola Saraki in the March 28, 2015 senatorial election for Kwara Central.

Justice John Ikwegh who read the judgment on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging Saraki’s victory.

Abdulrazaq filed the petition at the National Assembly Petition Tribunal sitting in Ilorin.

The tribunal dismissed the petition on the ground that it was filed out of time as stipulated by Electoral Act 2010. Dissatisfied with this judgment, the PDP candidate filed an appeal before Court of Appeal in Ilorin on 11 grounds.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ikwegh said the petitioner and PDP candidate failed to prove all the grounds beyond reasonable doubt.

He affirmed the tribunal judgment that upheld the election of Sen Saraki as duly elected in substantial compliance with electoral law.

Meanwhile, Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has hailed the judgment, describing it as a judicial affirmation of the love Kwarans over the years have for the Senate President.

Ahmed said the Appeal Court’s judgment was a testimony that the judiciary remained the fair and just arbiter as well as the hope of all citizens.

He noted that the judiciary has through such fair and just judgments since the 4th republic, sustained democratic values in the country.

The governor, however, urged Kwarans to remain united and committed to the common good of all and shun anything antithetical to collective progress and development of the state.