Tribunal Throws Out Faleke’s Petiton Against Governor Yahaya Bello

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Monday ruled that Hon. James Faleke has no locus stand to file any petition against the election of Yahaya Bello as Governor of Kogi State.

The Tribunal, therefore, dismissed Faleke’s petition against Bello.

Faleke, the running mate of the initial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, had gone to the Tribunal seeking his declaration as the valid candidate of the party for the election and his declaration as Governor.

Faleke said with the death of Audu on the day the results of the initial election was being announced, he should have stepped into the shoes of Audu.

Mr. Faleke was running as the deputy governorship candidate under Mr. Audu and they were coasting to victory as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, collated results; before Mr. Audu suddenly died.

INEC declared the election inconclusive and asked the APC to nominate a replacement for the deceased. Mr. Bello was nominated and he selected Mr. Faleke as his deputy with the latter refusing the selection.

Mr. Faleke refused to abide by the decision of the party and approached the tribunal asking it to declare him governor elect.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Idris Wada, and other smaller parties such as the Labour Party and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, also approached the tribunal asking it to remove Mr. Bello.

Judgment on the petition by the other parties will also be delivered on Wednesday, while that of Wada against the governor will be delivered on Tuesday.