Supreme Court Orders Election Petition Tribunal To Retry Petition Against Governor Dankwambo’s Election

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Gombe State governorship election petition tribunal to re-visit the petition against the election of Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Tribunal had earlier dismissed the petition filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) challenging the victory of Dankwambo in the April 11 guber polls.

The Tribunal last week nullified and dismissed the petition by the ADC over question of competency of the petitioner’s counsel, Sam Kargbo, as a legal practitioner.

The petitioner’s counsel had signed the petition as Sam Kargbo whereas on the roll call of lawyers, the name is Sam Peter Kargbo.

The respondent raised objection to that effect and prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

The Tribunal agreed with the respondent’s counsel and consequently dismissed the petition.

However, the ADC approached the Court of Appeal challenging the decision of the Tribunal.

In its ruling, the appellate court ordered the tribunal to re-try the petition.

Dissatisfied, Dankwambo approached the apex court seeking to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal.

Delivering judgment, a full panel of the apex court unanimously dismissed the appeal ‎on the ground that the tribunal had only emphasized on technicalities in arriving at its decision.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that the tribunal erred to have dismissed the petition on ground of technicalities.

The apex court, however, returned the petition to the tribunal to be tried on its merit.