BY ANGO DON-BALLYThe National Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna, on Tuesday dismissed the petition brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Hon. Yakubu Umar Barde to invalidate the election of his Labour Party (LP) opponent, Hon. Ekene Abubakar Adams.
Delivering judgment on the case,
Justice F.A. Fiberesima leading a three-man panel, dismissed the case and awarded 500,000 Naira damages to Ekene for defamation of character by the petitioner, Yakubu Barde.
According to her, forgery from the point of law is a criminal act and a very weighty allegation that must be proved beyond every reasonable doubt, adding that the petitioner could not proved the allegation on the ground that his claims lacked merit and therefore discountenance.
The judge said further that despite the fact that the petitioner tendered documents to support his claims, the respondent, Ekene Adams also tendered his own documents from the same schools, stressing that the best way to have given the petitioner’s claim an edge, was to present an eye witness, which he failed to do.
Reacting to the judgement, Counsel to the respondent, Muhammed M. Sani said the judgement was highly educative, adding that justice has prevailed at last.
However, the petitioner, Yakubu Barde was not available for comment, as he neither pick nor return phone calls as at the time of filling this report.
It will be recalled that Hon. Ekene Adams was declared winner of the House of Representatives election on February 25, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He is the Chairman, House Committee on Sports.
Additional report/News-Port Nigeria
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