ALHAJI MUHAMMADU MAIGARI DINGYADI V. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

I. T. MUHAMMAD, JSC (DELIVERING THE LEADING RULING): The salient facts giving rise to the applications pending before this court are that Governorship Election was held in Sokoto State on the 14th day of April, 2007. The 2nd respondent herein Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, who was fielded by the PDP was returned as the winner of the said election having scored the highest number of votes cast. The 1st appellant/applicant, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, who had contested the same election as the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party DPP, scored the second highest number of votes. He was not satisfied with the results of the election and he filed a petition before the Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Tribunal, Sokoto, challenging the declaration and return of the 1st respondent as the winner. The petition was dismissed. There was an appeal by the appellants to the Court of Appeal Kaduna. The appeal was allowed. The election of the 14th day of April, 2007, was nullified. …