Appeal Court Sacks Zamfara Governor, Orders Fresh Election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has sacked the governor of Zamfara State, Lawal Dauda of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), following an appeal entered by former governor Bello Matawalle.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had after the March 18 governorship poll, declared Dauda Lawal as the governor-elect, saying he garnered 377,726 votes.

The incumbent governor at the time, Bello Matawalle of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), was said to have gotten 311,976 votes.

Bello approached the Zamfara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Sokoto, with a petition against Dauda’s election.

Matawalle’s legal team led by Akinlola Kehinde SAN, had alleged there was wrongful collation of election results, including those of Maradun LGA.

He also argued that elections were not held in several wards in the state without any reason given by INEC.

But the Tribunal affirmed the election of Lawal, while dismissing Matawalle’s appeal for lacking in merit.

After losing his second term bid, Matawalle was appointed as Minister Of State, Defense, by President Bola Tinubu.

But he went on to appeal the verdict of the Tribunal, arguing that Dauda did not score the majority of lawful votes cast during the governorship poll and that the election was inconclusive.

He contended that the Tribunal erroneously struck out evidence tendered by his witnesses including several paragraphs in his petition.

But the PDP countered Matawalle, contending that he failed to prove his petition against Dauda’s election victory.