The election of a former Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Senator Jeremiah Oseni, was Monday, upheld by the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Jos.
The tribunal dismissed cases challenging the elections of Senator Useni and a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Solomon Maren.
The election of Useni, who represents Plateau South, was challenged by a former Senator, Brig.-Gen. John Shagaya, who prayed the tribunal to nullify Useni’s election, alleging irregularities, rigging and massive inflation of figures.
However, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice O. O. Akeredolu, dismissed Shagaya’s application for lack of merit.
According to her, there was “structural imbalance in the body of the case that deprived it of all properties that make a good case”.
In the same vein, the tribunal, in the case involving Maren, ruled that the statement of witnesses in the petition was not properly filed.
“The entire body of the petition was badly presented and was very watery. The petition and the prayers of the petitioner do not deserve to be heard.
“The tribunal is left with no option than to dismiss the petition for lack of merit,” she ruled. In his reaction, counsel to Useni, Smart Iraboh, said the judgment is a victory for justice.
“It was a good judgment and nobody, anywhere, has any cause to complain because the judgment was straight forward and indeed came up that way,” he said.
For Mr Bitrus Zilvel, who appeared for Shagaya, he said he would study the judgment before deciding on the next line of action.
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