Sen.Grace Bent Hope Dashed…As Court Dismisses Suit

Senator Grace Bent may not be finding life easy as a federal high court sitting in Abuja, Wednesday afternoon, dismissed the suit she filed asking the court to recognize her as one of the senatorial candidates for Adamawa State. This judgment which occurs barely two weeks to the election into the senate means that the Senator may be disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from contesting in the forthcoming election.  

  Senator Bent, who chairs the Environment Committee at the Senate has also represented Adamawa South Senatorial district at the upper legislative house.  

  In his judgment, Justice Abdullahi Kafarati declared that the suit lacked merit due to the fact that the complainant did not show any documentary evidence that the PDP primary election which produced Alhaji Ahmed Barata as the candidate of the party for the senate was cancelled as she earlier claimed.  

  According to the court, contrary to Senator Bent's claim, the PDP never ordered a re-run election which was allegedly won by her.  

  She also did not show any evidence that the January 9 primary election contravened any guideline of her party or of the electoral act.  

  Justice Kafarati therefore affirmed the election of Alhaji Ahmed Barata as the PDP candidate for Adamawa South Senatorial district.  

  The court had last week slated March 23, to rule on whether or not Senator Grace Bent will be the candidate of the PDP for the Adamawa South Senatorial seat following a suit filed by the Senator on February 7, asking the court to order her recognition based on alleged gross malpractices in the primary election.  

  Former member of the House of Representatives and winner of the PDP Adamawa South Senatorial primaries, Ahmed Hassan Barata had asked the court to vacate the order it made stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting his name pending the determination of the suit.  

  In a motion on notice filed through his Counsel, Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), Barata had urged the court to vacate the order it granted to Bent on the grounds that it was fraudulently obtained, saying he was the duly elected candidate of the party for the April elections.