The Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Umar Ardo, has been unsuccessful in his attempt to invalidate Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s election in Adamawa State. The state’s Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, on Monday, rejected Ardo’s petition against the governor.
Umar Ardo, along with his Deputy, Amos Yusuf, and the SDP, had filed a petition contesting the gubernatorial election held by INEC in Adamawa State on March 18, 2023. In his petition submitted on May 8, 2023, Ardo had included INEC, Fintiri, and 16 others as respondents, alleging that the election did not comply substantially with the Nigerian Electoral Act and was marred by bribery, threats, and violence. He sought the annulment of the entire election based on these claims.
In response, the respondents argued before the tribunal that the petition lacked supporting evidence and was not filed in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
In delivering the judgment, Justice T.O. Uloho, the tribunal’s Chairman, declared the petition as incompetent, flawed, incongruous, and improperly filed. She ruled that the petitioners were unclear about their objectives. Consequently, the petition was dismissed, and a fine of N200,000 was imposed on the petitioner, with the amount awarded to INEC, Governor Fintiri, Deputy Governor Kaletapwa Farauta, and the PDP.
