Yahaya Bello Wins Against Faleke At The Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal
Kogi State Governor
The tribunal ruled that the failure of Mr James Faleke to join INEC in his petition against the election of Governor Yahaya Bello is a major defect to the petition.
Mr. James Faleke, who is a member of the House of Representatives, ran as deputy Governorship candidate with Late Mr. Audu. He challenged the emergence of Mr. Bello as governor and asked the tribunal to declare him governor because the election of late Abubakar Audu was almost concluded before he died.
The tribunal Judge, Ms. Mohammed said on Monday that the fact that INEC declared the first election held on November 21, 2015 inconclusive meant no governor or deputy governor-elect had emerged.
She said,”Mr. Faleke therefore lacked the locus standi to challenge the nomination of Mr. Bello to replace the late Mr. Audu since he was never a deputy governor-elect.”
She also said that all votes cast belong to political parties, “it is the political party, through the instrumentality of its candidate that runs for election.”
The tribunal therefore, threw away his petition as lacking in merit, saying, “No right can accrue from an inconclusive election.”
