RABIU DANLAMI MUHAMMAD, J.C.A. (Delivered the Leading Judgment): The appellant herein was the 1st respondent in a petition presented jointly by one Bello Alhaji Abdullahi and the Peoples Democratic Party before the State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Lokoja, Kogi State the petitioners prayed for the following reliefs:-
"1. The 1st respondent was not duly and validly elected or returned as the winner of the election in Okene Central I Constituency of Kogi State owing to the fundamental vice that vitiated the election, that is, the unlawful exclusion of the 1st petitioner who was validly nominated but was unlawfully excluded from the election.
2. that the election and return of the 1st respondent is null and void.
3. that your 1st Petitioner was validly nominated by your 2nd petitioner but was unlawfully excluded from the election by the 2nd - 5th respondents.
4. that the whole exercise in Okene Central I Constituency of Kogi State on 14th April, 2007 is null …