Election Tribunal Rules Against CPC

Details: Category: Law, Crime & Judiciary; Published on Tuesday, 01 November 2011 20:25; Written by Admin; Hits: 758

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja today rejected a challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan's victory brought by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the main callenger in last April presidential election.

Jonathan, the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner of the April 16 election with 59 percent of the vote. But his nearest rival, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who polled 32 percent, refused to accept the outcome.

Buhari's CPC party filed a petition to challenge the result in May, arguing the vote was marred by irregularities in many parts of the country.

"The petition fails in its entirety and is hereby dismissed," Justice Kumai Akaahs told the court on Tuesday, reading out a unanimous decision by five judges.

The CPC said electoral commission computers were rigged to sway the count against Buhari, a northern Muslim, in parts of the north, and that the PDP's vote was inflated in some of its southern strongholds.

"The result of the election was not successfully challenged," Akaahs said. "The third respondent (Jonathan) scored the majority lawful votes cast at the election."

Jonathan-Buhari

"It is clear that the burden of proof of the allegations contained in the petition, be it criminal or for substantial non-compliance, rests with the petitioner. The petitioner did not discharge this burden."

The CPC's national chairman Tony Momoh said it would appeal the decision.

But Jonathan urged them to accept the verdict and move on.

"From this day, let us move forward together as we work to deepen the democratic content of our polity," he said in a statement. "The judgement is a victory for all Nigerians."

The election highlighted rifts between the predominantly Muslim north and the largely Christian south.

Rioting erupted in largely Muslim opposition strongholds in the north after the victory of Jonathan, a Christian from the south, was announced. Churches, mosques, homes and shops were set ablaze and at least 500 people were killed.

Although Buhari was ahead in almost all of the states in northern Nigeria, Jonathan also picked up millions of votes in the region.