AKPIROROH, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State of Nigeria delivered on 1st February, 1999. The petitioner/appellant, Famous Eseduwo and Mr. Salo Adikumur, the fourth respondent contested the chairmanship election in Sagbama Local Government Area. Famous Eseduwo contested the said election under the platform of the All People's Party (APP), while the fourth respondent, Salo Adikumur contested under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Messrs. Robert Ebizimo and Broadfield Ambebou contested under the platform of the National Solidarity Movement (NSM) and United People's Party (UPP) respectively.
At the end of the polls, the 4th respondent scored 27,915 votes while the petitioner scored 24,879 votes and the 4th respondent was declared the winner.
The petitioner dissatisfied filed a petition at the Election Petition Tribunal, Yenagoa. At the hearing, the petitio…