Kogi Election Tribunal Latest Update : Faleke’s Petition Dismissed

.. The Kogi State governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja today June 6th upheld the election of Yahaya Bello as the duly elected governor of Kogi State.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Halima Mohammed, who read the judgment in the petition filed by a member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke, threw away the petition for lacking in merit.

Ms. Mohammed said that the fact that INEC declared the first election held on November 21, 2015 inconclusive meant no governor or deputy governor-elect had emerged. She also averred that all votes cast belong to political parties, “it is the political party, through the instrumentality of its candidate that runs for election.” “No right can accrue from an inconclusive election,” she said.

Yahaya's election was challenged by House of representatives member, James Faleke, who was the running mate of late Prince Abubakar Audu. Faleke had asked the tribunal to nullify Yahaya's election and declare him governor since he was the running mate of Audu who suddenly died hours before they were to be declared winners of the state governorship election in November last year. APC nominated Yahaya after Audu died.