The lawmaker representing Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State, in the House of Representatives, Joshua Audu Gana, has vowed to appeal the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal which invalidated votes in 23 polling units of the Constituency.
It would be recalled that Mr. Audu Ghana was declared the winner of the February 25 election, by the Independent National Electoral Commission, after polling 47,942 votes, to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Gbatamagi, who polled 40, 003 votes.
Meanwhile, the APC and its candidate, filed petitions before the tribunal, to challenge the PDP candidates, through their legal representation, Johnson Usman.
They alleged that the election was invalid because of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, of 2022.
The petitioners noted that the margin of the votes won was less than the permanent voter cards collected in the polling units where elections were not held or cancelled.
Delivering judgment on Monday, a three-member tribunal headed by Sylvester Godspower, agreed with the submissions of the petitioners.
The tribunal however invalidated votes in the 23 polling units of the constituency, thereby reducing the votes of Gana to 46,494 while those of Gbatamagi were reduced to 39,159.
Reacting to the development, while speaking with newsmen, Audu Gana said:” While the tribunal has ruled for a rerun in some polling units in my constituency, I remain a member of the House of Representatives until all judicial processes are exhausted”.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the tribunal ordered a rerun in 23 out of 482 polling units of the constituency affecting 14, 411 PVCs collected in the area.
“Well, this is not what we expected but this is democracy and we remain confident that our time in the House of Representatives is far from over.
“I understand the exuberance of the media to attract readership. However, it is established that the judicial process does not end at the tribunal.
” Therefore, I am focused on discharging my legislative responsibility to the good people of Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency, while also defending the mandate freely and creditably given to me by my constituents at the Court of Appeal.
“I am confident that this judgment by the tribunal will not stand.
” I urge the good and hardworking people of Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency to keep the faith and be rest assured that their mandate will not be taken away under any guise,” Ghana added.