Adamawa governorship tribunal ruling shocking, subversion of justice – APC
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has said it rejects the judgement of the Governorship Election Tribunal affirming Gov. Umaru Fintiri’s electoral victory, describing it as ”provocative, barefaced subversion of justice and direct assault on the integrity of the people of Adamawa state.
The party said ”it is particularly shocked that the tribunal failed to point to justice despite the flawless evidence laid before it, showing that the election that brought Gov. Fintiri to office was massive rigged, that Fintiri did not score the majority of valid votes at the polls”.
The tribunal on Friday dismissed the petition filed by the APC.
The judgment by the three-member tribunal was read by Adediran Adebara.
The tribunal ruled each of the arguments by the APC against them.
Mr Adediran said the petitioners failed to prove their petition beyond reasonable doubt and the petition was dismissed in its entirety.
In a statement signed by Adamawa state organising secretary of APC, Ahmed Lawal, the party said it finds ”as bewildering that a court of law could validate a clear case of rigging and stuffing of ballot boxes and over voting firmly established against Gov. Fintiri, even in the face of incontrovertible evidence”.
“The party is also rudely shocked that the court took over the roles of the respondents’ lawyers who abandoned their pleadings by refusing to call evidence in defence of the petition. The court raked up all manner of excuses to make up for the yawning gaps occasioned by the total absence of any evidence from the respondents.
“The party notes as strange that the court even went ahead to provide rationalisations in favour of Gov. Fintiri, even when all hard facts before it shows that he did not win the 2019 election in a free and fair contest.”
The APC also described as shocking that the court approved the ”flawed declaration of Gov. Umaru Fintiri as the winner of the election despite evidence to show the perpetration of illegalities, manipulations, alterations, and subtraction of valid votes freely given to Mohammed Bindow by Adamawa electorates”.
“Indeed, the pervading atmosphere across our state since the verdict is a direct indication that the judgment has not fulfilled the desires and expectations of Adamawa residents.”
The party, however, encouraged Adamawa residents to remain calm and not to lose hope or surrender to despondency or self-help, “as its lawyers are upbeat in obtaining justice at the appellate court”.
“This is more so as the tribunal itself admitted that there are several errors in the judgment.” The judgement given today is premeditated as the opposition party role out musical instruments to celebrate before the sitting of the court was concluded”.