September 19, (THEWILL) – The Governorship/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Gombe, on Tuesday, nullified the electoral victory of Hon. Abubakar Leggerowo, Speaker of the State House of Assembly,
Leggerowo is an All Progressives Congress (APC) member representing Akko Central state constituency in the State House of Assembly.
His main rival in the March 18th House of Assembly Election for Akko Central state constituency, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bashir Abdullahi, had in a petition before the tribunal alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), awarded undue victory to Leggerowo when it cancelled votes cast in some polling units in the constituency.
The Tribunal in a ruling delivered by its chairman, Justice Michael Ugar, upheld the argument of the petitioner and nullified the electoral victory of the speaker.
Justice Ugar held that the cancellation of the results of units 001, 024 and 014 of Kumo East in Akko local government area of the state by INEC was erroneous.
The Tribunal ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected areas within the next 30 days to determine the actual winner of the legislative seat.
However, the Speaker Leggerowo has expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict of the Tribunal and vowed to appeal the judgement.
Leggerowo was recently elected North-East Vice Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly of Nigeria.
