Tribunal affirms Lawal as Zamfara Gov, throws out Matawalle’s petition

The Zamfara State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which was in session in Sokoto, on Monday, validated Dr. Dauda Lawal’s election as the legitimate governor of the state.

The petition by Bello Matawalle, a former governor of the state, contesting the legitimacy of the election that elected Mr. Lawal as governor was also rejected by the court.

Matawalle, who is now Minister of State for Defence, had accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of subverting his victory at the polls, for failure to include the results of some ward areas, which if added, will give him victory with a wide margin.

Read Also: Gov Lawal alleges Matawalle left about N4m in Zamfara account

Confirming the verdict, the Spokesperson to the Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, in a statement on Monday in Gusau, stated that the ruling represented the will and decision of the people

Idris said: “A moment ago, Dauda Lawal was affirmed as the winner of the March 18, 2023, Governorship election by the Zamfara Governorship election tribunal sitting in Sokoto.

“The judgement was not surprising but rather an affirmation of the collective decision made by the unwavering people of Zamfara.

“Governor Dauda Lawal emerged victorious in the governorship election with an impressive margin of 65,750 votes.

“Let it be known that this victory belongs to all the people of Zamfara, not just the Governor and his party.

“The judgement would encourage Governor Lawal to continue with his resolve to fulfil his mandate and work tirelessly to ensure that the people of Zamfara State experience the benefits of good governance.

“Governor Dauda Lawal’s rescue mission, which began on May 29th after his administration was sworn in, has already made remarkable strides in improving security, education, infrastructure, and agriculture.”

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