(News Investigators)/ The Court of Appeal sitting in Plateau State has upheld the election of Hon Usman Bello Kumo, member of the House of Representatives from Akko Federal Constituency of Gombe State.
The court dismissed an application by Aishatu Ahmad, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, challenging Mr. Kumo’s election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court upheld the earlier decision of the National Assembly petitions tribunal which had affirmed the victory of Mr. Kumo in March 2019 general elections.
Mrs. Ahmad had approached the election petition tribunal to challenge the victory of the APC candidate, praying the court to quash Mr. Kumo’s election and declare him winner instead.
In her eight grounds of appeal, she had argued among other things that Mr. Kumo was not fit to contest the election.
But the tribunal dismissed her appeal after declining jurisdiction on the matter.
It had also ruled that the issue was a pre-election matter and not a post-election matter.
Dissatisfied by the judgement, Mrs. Ahmad proceeded to the tribunal where she insisted she had enough grounds to contest Mr. Kumo’s victory.
Recall that the Supreme Court had in a pre-election matter upheld the emergence of Mr. Kumo as the candidate of the APC.
The court had upheld his emergence following an application seeking its nullification on the ground that Kumo joined the APC only eight months to the primaries.
The apex court, however, recognized him as the party’s authentic candidate after ruling that the APC duly conducted primary election and submitted his name as its flag bearer.
