Appeal court affirms Tambuwal, Wamakko senatorial election

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, affirmed the election victories of two former governors of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal and Aliyu Wamakko, who were elected as Senators representing Sokoto South and Sokoto North, respectively.

Aminu Tambuwal, the immediate past governor of the state and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, faced a challenge to his election from Ibrahim Danbaba, the immediate past senator representing the district. Similarly, Aliyu Wamakko was contested by Manir Dan’iya, the immediate past deputy governor of the state.

In two separate judgments, a three-man panel of judges led by Justice Mustapha Muhammad dismissed Ibrahim Danbaba’s petition against Tambuwal. The court also imposed a fine of N500,000 in favour of Tambuwal, the defendant, and the Peoples Democratic Party.

Suleiman Usman, one of the lead counsel for the defendant and the PDP, confirmed the court’s decisions, stating that while Tambuwal’s election was affirmed, the petitions filed by the former deputy governor, Manir Dan’iya, against Wamakko were dismissed.

Usman explained, “The court just rendered its judgment regarding the two Senatorial elections in the state. While the court affirmed Senator Tambuwal’s election, the three-man panel of judges also imposed a fine of N500,000 against the petitioner in favor of the defendant and the PDP.”

He added, “Meanwhile, the court, in its wisdom, also dismissed our petitions filed on behalf of the former deputy governor, Manir Dan’iya, against the former governor and Senator representing Sokoto North, Aliyu Wamakko. The court also imposed a fine, the details of which I cannot immediately recall, against our client in favor of the defendant in this case.”