From Umar Dankano, Yola
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has described upholding of his victory at the February 2019 gubernatorial election as ‘elected governor ‘ by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the state as confirmation of the wishes and choice of electorates.
Fintiri said this while reacting to the judgement of the tribunal in Yola, weekend, stressing that the judiciary still remains the last hope of a common man where justice is being given to those who merit it.
“All praises be to Allah,the giver of power who has made it that this time I should be the governor of Adamawa State.
“For the judiciary, I congratulate them for reaffirming what Adamawa people demonstrated in the last general elections by voting freely under a peaceful atmosphere that saw me emerged as the elected governor,”Fintiri stated
Fintiri, however, called on the opposition parties and politicians to support and cooperate with his administration so that more policies and programs that have direct bearing on the Adamawa people can be attained.
He pledged to form a unity government where fairness and justice can strive stressing that all good hands must be on deck with a view to moving the state forward so that his contributions can change fortunes of the state.
Recall that the tribunal sitting in Yola dismissed a petition seeking to nullify the election of the state governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Fintiri by Action Peoples Party,APP.
The Action Peoples Party (APP) and its governorship candidate in the last general elections,Mr. Bitrus Meda, had filed a legal suit before the tribunal challenging the victory of Governor Fintiri, his deputy,Chief Crowther Seth, their Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the said suit, the applicants ( Mr,Meda & APP)complained that he was unlawfully excluded from the election that produced Fintiri as governor.
Delivering judgement on the petition on Saturday, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adediran Adebara, said the petitioners failed to prove their claim of unlawful exclusion beyond reasonable doubt.
He dismissed the petition and awarded legal cost of N1,000,000 against the petitioner: N300,000 each in favour of first, second and third respondents, and N100,000 for the fourth respondent, that is INEC.
Responding to the judgement, Counsel to the petitioners,Barristar Solomon Garba said they had accepted the judgment in good faith.
