The National and State Assemblies Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Sokoto, on Wednesday dismissed the petition against two lawmakers, Alhaji Abdullahi Zakari (APC- Rabah) and Alhaji Kabiru Dauda (APC- Gada West).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two lawmakers were declared winners of Rabah and Gada West constituencies in Sokoto State House of Assembly during the 2019 general elections.
Challenging the declaration of Zakari, Alhaji Abubakar Gandi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election said the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker was not duly elected as he did not score the majority of the votes cast.
Also, Alhaji Garba Tsitse, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Gada West state assembly election challenged the declaration of Dauda, as the winner of the election on the same ground.
Tsitse also alleged that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, as well the INEC guidelines for the 2019 General Elections.
However, the tribunal in its judgments dismissed the two petitions for lack of merit.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Ubale Yusuf, delivering the judgment stated that the declaration of Zakari as the winner of the poll in Rabah constituency complied with the extant electoral laws of Nigeria.
Ubale in his judgment on a petition filed against Dauda of Gada West constituency held that the election of the lawmaker was valid, as he scored the majority of the lawful votes cast.
Reacting to the Judgments, Dauda and Zakari, expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for their victory, while they lauded the party and their various constituents for standing by them, through thick and thin.
The duo in a separate interview said that, their victory would spur them to do more, to further uplift their various constituencies, Sokoto state and Nigeria, in general.