The Court of Appeal on Thursday in Abuja declared as inconclusive, the March 18 Governorship election which produced the state Governor Dauda Lawal.
Recall that INEC had declared Dauda Lawal winner of the Zamfara State Governorship election having scored the lawful majority votes of 377,726 votes to beat Matawalle, who scored only 311,976 to emerge the first runner-up in the election.
Not satisfied with the outcome, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bello Matawalle filed a petition at the Zamfara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal
The tribunal on September 18, affirmed the election of Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of the state, having dismissed Matawalle’s petition challenging the outcome of the March 18 governorship election for lacking in merit.
But a 3-man panel of Justices of the Court in a unanimous judgment on Thursday, Nov 16th voided and set aside the declaration of Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Justice Sybil Nwaka Gbagiz, who read the lead judgment, ordered that fresh election be conducted at Maradun Local Government Area of the State and in other areas where elections were either cancelled or did not hold at all.
The Court held that the use of IREV information to declare Lawal as governor in the absence of polling units results were unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.
