Tribunal upholds Bomoi’s election, dismisses Dambu’s petition

Desert Herald
04/09/2019
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The Election Petition Tribunal in a landmark judgement today upholds the election of Ibrahim Mohammed Bomoi as the Senator representing Yobe South Senatorial District.

It would be recalled that Sen. Bomoi of the APC was declared winner of the senatorial election held on 23rd February, 2019, beating the then incumbent Sen. Mohammed Hassan of the PDP. Sen. Hassan has emerged as the candidate of the PDP in a controversial circumstances, after an initial declaration of the former minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri as the winner of the PDP primary election that was earlier held. The result of that declaration has resulted in intra-party scheming and powerplay with Waziri vowing to ensure that Sen. Hassan did not return to the upper legislative chamber. And true to his words, Adamu Maina Waziri has played an important role in seeing the defeat of his own party during the senatorial election of Yobe South thus giving added advantage to the candidate of the APC and incumbent Senator, Ibrahim Bomoi. Couple with the support of his party at the centre, Sen. Bomoi convincingly won that election.

But the embattled Sen. Hassan popularly called Dambu vowed to challenge the victory of Bomoi at the tribunal which he pursued vigorously. The tribunal in its lead judgement which was monitored by DESERT HERALD said Sen. Bomoi has fulfilled all electoral requirements and that the evidences presented by former Sen. Hassan is not satisfactory and cannot therefore invalidate Sen. Bomoi’s election. It therefore reaffirmed Sen. Bomoi as the duly elected Senator representing Yobe South Senatorial District.

In a press release he issued after the judgement, Mr. Bomoi has expressed gratitude to the members of the tribunal “for demonstrating once again that the Nigerian Judiciary stands for the cause of justice”. He also called on the petitioner, Sen. Hassan to accept the court’s verdict in good faith and urged him to join hands with him to ensure the development of the zone.

It is unclear as at press time whether Sen. Dambu will accept the olive branch extended to him by Sen. Bomoi and whether he will decide to appeal the judgement at a higher court. Attempts by DESERT HERALD to hear the response of Sen. Hassan proved abortive as he did not pick repeated calls by this reporter.