The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal for Plateau Northern Senatorial District rerun election, sitting in Bauchi has on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by Amb. Christopher Musa Giwa candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) against Senator Pam Dachungyang Mwadkwon and others.

A 3-panel of Judges led by Hon. Justice Cordelia Ogadi unanimously dismissed the petition for lacking in merit and affirmed senator Mwadkwon as winner of the election.

Recall, Giwa who emerged third having dissatisfied with the declaration of senator Mwadkwon by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the rerun election conducted on 3rd February,2024, for Plateau Northern Senatorial zone approached Tribunal to seek for  redress.

Giwa urged Tribunal to declared votes gained by Senator Mwadkwon and ADP (1st and 2nd respondents) as well as Mohammad Shafiu and New Nigeria People's Party (3rd and 4th respondents) during the election as invalid votes.

He further stated that the Appeal Court judgment delivered on the 22nd October, 2023, which dismissed former Senate minority leader, Simon Mwadkwon and order for rerun election limited participation for political parties.

"The 1st to 4th respondents as at the time of the rerun election held on 3rd February, 2024, were not qualified to contest as they were not party to the Appeal Court judgment, hence they cannot be beneficiaries.

"The 5th respondent (INEC) had err to the ruling of the Appeal Court and went ahead to include 1st to 4th respondents in the rerun election."

The petitioners prayed the Tribunal to declared votes accrued to the 1st to 4th respondents as wasted votes. INEC should withdraw certificate of return from Senator Pam Dachungyang Mwadkwon and issue to Chris Giwa as authentic winner of the election.

In it's verdict, the Tribunal held that the petitioners failed to proof the grounds of their pleadings.

"There is no facts backing their pleadings. The evidence available before the Tribunal shows that both the 1st to 4th respondents participated 2023 general elections.

"Going by the judgment of the Appeal Court, which stated that, 'all parties here in', there is no segment of political party apart from PDP.

"The petition is here by dismissed for lacking in merit and affirmed senator Pam Dachungyang Mwadkwon as winner of Plateau North senatorial district rerun election held on the 3rd February, 2024", Justice Ogadi stated.

The Tribunal also order petitioners to pay the summer of N300, 000 to the 3rd respondent.