Tribunal Verdict: ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’ – Fintiri Speaks After Court Victory

The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has declared that there’s no victor, no vanquished after the election petition tribunal affirmed his election Monday.

Recall the Adamawa State Governorship Electoral Petitions Tribunal during its judgement dismissed the petition filed by Umar Ardo against the Governor for lack of merit.

Ardo, the Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), his Deputy, Amos Yusuf and SDP, had filed a petition challenging the governorship election conducted by INEC on the 18th March, 2023.

In the petition instituted by Ardo on the 8th May, 2023, he had joined INEC, Fintiri and 16 others as respondents, alleging that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the electoral act.

The petitioners alleged that the exercise conducted by the 1st respondent was marred by corrupt practices such as bribery, threats and violence.

To this effect, he therefore sought the nullification of the entire exercise.

Meanwhile, on their part, 1st to 4th respondents, told the tribunal that the petition is statute barred which cannot be entertained by tribunal, alleging that the petition is not supported with evidence and not filed in compliance with the provision of the electoral act.

In her judgement, the Chairman of the tribunal, T. O. Uloho, declared that the petition is incompetent, defective, incongruous and not properly instituted before the tribunal, and that the petitioners are not certain with what they want and concluded that their allegations lack merit.

Reacting to the judgement on Tuesday, Fintiri addressed journalists shortly after landing at the Lamido Aliyu Mustafa International Airport.

He said: “There is no victor and no vanquished” in the Tribunal Verdict which upheld his election as he saluted the judiciary for doing its job to uphold his election and expressed the conviction that the remaining judgements will also follow suit.