On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, affirmed the election of two former Sokoto State governors, Aminu Tambuwal and Aliyu Wamakko, as Senators representing Sokoto South and Sokoto North.
Tambuwal’s election as the state’s immediate past governor and Peoples Democratic Party candidate was opposed by the district’s immediate past senator, Ibrahim Danbaba, while Wamakko was challenged by the state’s immediate past deputy governor, Manir Dan’iya.
In two separate rulings, the three-judge panel led by Justice Mustapha Muhammad dismissed Danbaba’s case against Tambuwal and imposed a N500,000 fine on the defendants and his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Suleiman Usman, one of the lead counsels representing the defendant and the PDP, stated that while Tambuwal’s elections were affirmed, the complaints of his former deputy against Wamakko were dismissed.
Usman said,
“The court just gave their judgment with respect to the two Senatorial elections in the state.
“While the election of Senator Tambuwal was affirmed by the court, the three-man justices in their wisdom also awarded a fine of N500,000 against the petitioner in favour of the defendant and the PDP.
“Meanwhile, the court also in its wisdom dismissed our petitions filed on behalf of the former deputy governor, Manir Dan’iya against the former governor and Senator representing Sokoto North, Aliyu Wamakko.
“The court also awarded a fine which I cannot immediately recall against our client in favour of the defendant in this case.”