http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/208059-breaking-appeal-court-upholds-yahaya-bellos-election-kogi-governor.html

BREAKING NEWS: Appeal Court Upholds Yahaya Bello's Election As Governor


THE Court of Appeal on Thursday upheld the election of Yahaya Bello as the duly elected governor of Kogi State.

Details of the judgment is still sketchy, but our reporter covering the case said Mr. Bello prevailed in the appeal brought against him by James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives.

We will provide details in our coming updates.

Mr. Faleke challenged the emergence of Mr. Bello as governor and asked the tribunal to declare him governor because the election of late Abubakar Audu was almost concluded before he died.

Mr. Bello was nominated by the APC to replace its late candidate, Mr. Audu.

Mr. Faleke ran as deputy governorship candidate with Mr. Audu and they were coasting to victory before Mr. Audu suddenly died.

INEC declared the election inconclusive and asked the APC to nominate a replacement for the deceased. Mr. Bello was nominated and he nominated Mr. Faleke as his deputy, an offer the latter refused.

But on June 6, the Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, dismissed Mr. Faleke’s petition, saying the lawmaker was unable to prove his case.

The tribunal said the fact that INEC declared the first election held on November 21, 2015 inconclusive meant no governor or deputy governor-elect had emerged.

It also averred that all votes cast belong to political parties, “It is the political party, through the instrumentality of its candidate that runs for election.”

The tribunal said Mr. Faleke therefore lacked the locus standi to challenge the nomination of Mr. Bello to replace the late Mr. Audu since he was never a deputy governor-elect.

The tribunal therefore, threw away his petition as lacking in merit.

“No right can accrue from an inconclusive election,” it said.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Mr. Faleke headed to the appellate court, which has now thrown out his appeal.

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Ok..supreme court ,here they come!!

that is not the final busstop

Bello for president

In his reaction to the judgement, the appellant, Hon James Abiodun Faleke, said he will appeal to the Supreme Court. According to him,
"at the start of this case before the tribunal I told you all that it is going to be a marathonand we should have patient and be prepared.

"Today's judgement by the appeal court has again
showed where we are as a country. "Only the Supreme court of our land has the final say on
a constitutional matter such as this and as we rest our case with God, we shall appeal this judgement to the supreme court.
"Please remain peaceful and prayerful as the darkness can never stand where light shines. "I'm extremely grateful for all your massive support and loyalty since the death of my principal Prince (Abubakar) Audu.
May his soul rest in peace. To God be the glory.amen," Faleke submitted.

The supreme court will decide this case at the end of the day. However, if Bello's election is eventually sustained, then we need to do speedily clean up our electoral laws. The idea that the people voted for the party and not the candidate is not an ideal democratic model. Majority of Kogi electorates voted for Audu and Faleke and not Bello. Allowing people to become an elected governor without going through the entire election process is not democracy.

I hope justice will eventually be done at the supreme court but the decisions of the tribunal and the appeal court so far, if sustained would have disenfranchised the majority of kogi electorates who did not participate in the rerun election that produced Bello.

Good for him
''teamboothimout''

seunmsg:
The supreme court will decide this case at the end of the day. However, if Bello's election is eventually sustained, then we need to do speedily clean up our electoral laws. The idea that the people voted for the party and not the candidate is not an ideal democratic model. Majority of Kogi electorates voted for Audu and Faleke and not Bello. Allowing people to become an elected governor without going through the entire election process is not democracy.

I hope justice will eventually be done at the supreme court but the decisions of the tribunal and the appeal court so far, if sustained would have disenfranchised the majority of kogi electorates who did not participate in the rerun election that produced Bello.

In every democracy people vote for parties and not candidates. If you are suggesting a reform.of the electoral law for it to be candidate based and not.party based, then.you will ne drawing us back. In an ideal situation, A party has its manifesto. It presents the most ideal candidate to push its manifesto and in cases like this, the party knows the next best candidate to.push the manifesto. People vote based on the manifesto and agenda that the party campaigns with not the name of a an individual. Of course in general sense the individual still plays a lot of influence in the choice of leaders.

Tittos:

In every democracy people vote for parties and not candidates. If you are suggesting a reform.of the electoral law for it to be candidate based and not.party based, then.you will ne drawing us back. In an ideal situation, A party has its manifesto. It presents the most ideal candidate to push its manifesto and in cases like this, the party knows the next best candidate to.push the manifesto. People vote based on the manifesto and agenda that the party campaigns with not the name of a an individual. Of course in general sense the individual still plays a lot of influence in the choice of leaders.

My brother you're actually correct but if truth be told for example, majority of Kano State people who voted APC in the 2015 Presidential election did not vote APC just for the party sake. They voted the person of Buhari and would have voted him on whatever party platform he ran as they did when he ran under ANPP and CPC. It's really a dicey one because our laws do not recognize independent candidates and the courts have consistently ruled that the votes are for the party (like you rightly pointed out). There are of course States and situations when people vote for parties. In Nigeria, there are States that it was almost certain previously that if you win a particular party primaries, you have won the general election. In the case of Kogi, I am not from there but I know enough that some people who voted Audu would have rather voted Wada if it was down to Wada vs. Bello. Please note that I am not faulting the judgment or siding any of the parties but just highlighting the dilemma i.e. it is not really perfect to say people ONLY vote on the basis of parties, they actually prefer particular candidates for various reasons -the candidate's own sake (achievements and competence or charisma), his money, his tribe, his religion, even his cult group or his lies he told them in the name of campaign.

Hmmmmm... Only Nigeria a house of Representative representing people of Lagos will be fighting to be governor in Kogi state... Na wa ohhhh

Falale now becoming Failake.