The Court of Appeal Abuja Division on Thursday pronounced the Zamfara State Governorship election that produced Dauda lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, winner of the polls Inconclusive.
The three member panel of Justices led by Oyebisi Folayemi in a unanimous judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct fresh elections in three local government area of the state; Maradun ,Birnin-magaji and Bukyun.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Sybil Nwaka, the court held that the use of IREv information to declare Lawal as governor in the absence of polling units results were unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.
Following Dauda’s victory in the March 18 governorship election, the immediate past governor of the State, Bello Matawale of the All Progressives Congress, APC, approached the Zamfara State governorship election Tribunal in Sokoto contesting his successor’s victory.
The Tribunal however affirmed Lawal as the valid winner of the election dismissing matawale’s petition who was defeated with over 65,000 votes from the polls.
The court awarded a N500,000 fine to the petitioner, Matawalle.