From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.
The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has been advised to as a matter urgency swore in the authentic elected chairman of Magama local government, Mallam Safiyanu Yahaya Ibeto who got his victory in a court ruling in a High Court sitting in Minna.
The Niger State High Court 5 sitting in Minna presided by Jstice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed delivered the ruling on the motion filled by the counsel representing the petitioner in the matter brought before the Court by Barrister Mohammed Baba Waziri and Barrister Abubakar Mohammed Bokani respectively.
They argued that the state Chairman of the state independent electoral commission should be arrested and commit to the correctional center for his deliberate refusal to comply with the judgment delivered by the court on the 13/03/2020 ordering that certificate of return should be issued to the plaintiff without further delay.
That the court had on 13/03/5020 delivered judgment against the incumbent Chairman of Magama local government area Salisu Ubandoma to vacate his seat and the state independent electoral commission should withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to him.
However, following the judgment as delivered by the court, the state independent electoral commission refused to comply with the judgment,at the resumed sitting of the case last Thursday .
Apparently, the counsel representing the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Barrister Johnson John Usman pleaded with the court that the Chairman was not available in the court as a result of the total lockdown that the state is currently passing through as a result of covid 19.
He assured the court that he will personally bring the Chairman to court today Monday.
However the commissioner in charge of Administration of the state independent electoral commission Alhaji Yahaya Idris Abarah brought the certificate of return to court for issuance to the plaintiff Mallam Safiyanu Yahaya Ibeto of the People’s Democratic Party PDP.
While ruling Justice Mohammed Adishetu submitted that the counsel to the Chairman of the state independent electoral commission, Alhaji Baba Aminu be committed to the Correctional center for contempt in which his council apologized and his sentence was withdrawn by the Court.
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