The local government election appeal tribunal has delivered judgement on an appeal brought before it by Nasiru Aliyu Haruna.
The appellant has challenged the judgement of the lower tribunal which had earlier affirmed the election of Tanimu Mohammed Suleiman as councillor of Ungwan Rogo/Rimi Ward Jos North local government Area of Plateau State.
The appellant filed the appeal seeking amongst other reliefs, the setting aside of the judgement of the lower tribunal which he noted was to him, a miscarriage of justice.
The appeal was heard by the appeal tribunal leading to the judgement. Chairman of the appeal tribunal Justice Gidelia Fwomyon described the judgement of the lower tribunal as watery considering the fact that it did not take into cognisance the vital ingredients thereof in the petition before delivering it’s judgement.
The judge further disclosed the appeal tribunal in its finding discovered that the respondent who is the serving councillor for the ward did not properly resign his appointment as staff of Bauchi state universal Basic Education board before contesting the election.
The appeal tribunal chairman said that Mohammed Suleiman still collected salaries from the Bauchi state government as an employee from October 2021 to match 2022. The appeal tribunal further stated that even though instalmental refunds were made by the respondent to the Bauchi state government, the dates of the refunds reveals an act of after thought when he discovered that it would count against him in the ongoing trial.
The tribunal maintain that Tanimu Suleiman is dubious in character and that such persons are not fit to occupy government office. Based on that and other findings, the tribunal granted all the reliefs sought by the appellant and directed the plateau state independent electoral commission PLASIEC to immediately withdraw the certificate of return issued to Tanimu Suleiman Mohamed and issue same to the appellant Nasiru Aliyu Haruna. Counsel to the appellant Nanle Komak and that of the respondent B I Shehu commended the tribunal for the industry put in delivering the judgement .
With this judgement, Mohamed Suleiman ceased to be the councillor representing Ungwan Rogo – Rimi ward if the judgement is complied with particularly, when there’s no room for any further appeal
Both Haruna and Suleimain are members of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
