Lawal Usman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was elected as Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna State.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Muhammad Abdullahi, had filed a petition disputing Usman’s election on four grounds.
He said that Usman was not officially nominated by his party and was not properly supported by the PDP to run in the election.
The APC candidate also questioned Usman’s educational credentials and stated that there was excessive voting during the poll.
However, the three-man panel led by Justice H.H. Kereng dismissed the petition on the grounds of lack of merit.
Justice Kereng, who read the verdict, explained that the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the PDP candidate’s National Examination Council (NECO) results and other academic qualifications he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were forged.
The Tribunal further explained that the petitioners could not prove that the first respondent was not duly elected by the majority of votes cast in the February 25 poll.
The Tribunal therefore dismissed the petition and upheld the election of Usman of the PDP as the duly elected Senator for Kaduna Central Senatorial District.