Member representing Ankpa federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims has congratulated Governor Yahaya Bello and Chief David Edward Onoja on their victory at the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja against the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Musa Wada.
In a congratulatory message on Saturday, Halims urged the people of the state to close ranks and support the governor in moving the state forward, especially as the world fights against the dreaded Covid-19.
Halims described the judgement of the two supporting Judges who upheld the election as a convincing and highly resounding decision, noting that the striking out of the SDP and APP petitions hitherto was an indication of what should be expected against the opposition PDP.
In the same vein, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole has described the tribunal verdict as a fair ruling that truly reflect the wishes of the people of the state.
The Speaker said it is heartwarming to receive the cheering news of the well deserved victory, stressing that truly those petitions lacked merit and were justifiably discountenanced.
He said the dismissal of the case is long envisaged as many of the points canvassed by the petitioner is based on hearsay, stressing that the tribunal has done justice to the case.
He urged the oppositions to drop whatever grievances they might have and join hands with Governor Yahaya Bello to move the state to the next level of development, noting that the election held on the 16th November, 2019 was squarely won by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Governor Yahaya Bello overwhelmingly.
The Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja on Saturday, in a split decision of two to one, affirmed the declaration and return of Yahaya Bello by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the validly elected governor of Kogi State.
The majority judgment delivered by the Chairman of tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama dismissed the petition brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the November 16 governorship election, Engineer Musa Wada against the outcome of the polls for lacking in merit.
He therefore awarded the cost of N500, 000 against the petitioners in favour of the respondents.
