PDP, PPA DRAG ZAMFARA GOV-ELECT TO TRIBUNAL

Twenty-four hours to the closure of receiving governorship petition, in Zamfara State two political parties have separately filed petitions before the state governorship election tribunal challenging the declaration of Alhaji Abdul'aziz Yari Abubakar of the All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP] as Zamfara State governor-elect.

The two parties that filed the petitions are Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] and Progressive People's Alliance [PPA].

Secretary of the tribunal in the state, Hajiya Hannatu Bello said 13 respondents were also joined in the PDP petition .They include: INEC, electoral officers of Maru, Bungudu, Gusau, Tsafe, Gummi, and Bakura local councils, Inspector General of Police, Zamfara Police Commissioner, State Returning Officer, Professor Idris Isa Funtua, Abdulaziz Yari, Ibrahim Wakkala (Yari running mate] and All Nigeria Peoples Party[ANPP].

In the petition with reference number ZM/EPT/GOV./02/2011 dated May 16, 2011, the 10th [Yari] and 11th ( Wakkala ) respondents were not duely elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the April 26 governorship election.

They described the election as invalid by reason of corruption practices and non compliance with the provisions of Electoral Act, adding that, 'The 10th and 11th respondents at the time of the election were not qualified to contest the election''.

The PDP also maintained that election conducted in the six local councils above are invalid and ought to be cancelled due to what it described as non conduct of elections in several polling stations of the state.

Meanwhile, PPA has also petitioned ANPP challenging the omission of its logo in the election and therefore called for the cancellation of the election.

'The ground of the petition is that the 2nd petitioner (PPA) with its candidate (Hassan S. Pawa ) was validly nominated but was unlawfully excluded from the election. That a fresh election to the office of the governor of Zamfara State be held at a date to be ordered by this tribunal.''