The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Mohammed Isa Ashiru, against the election victory of Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani.

The appeal court on Friday held that the PDP candidate presented witnesses who gave “hearsay” and “ridiculous” evidence before the Tribunal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared that Sani polled a total of 730,002 votes to win the March 18 election in the state while Ashiru scored 719,196 votes.

But Ashiru and the PDP approached the Kaduna State Election Petition Tribunal, accusing INEC of allowing irregularities and electoral fraud in favour of the governor.

According to Ashiru, the election was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act, adding that the governor did not score the majority of lawful votes cast.

Ashiru had asked the Tribunal to determine that he was the winner of the guber poll having scored the majority of lawful votes cast. He also asked the Tribunal to order a fresh election in areas where polls were canceled.

However, the governor’s lead counsel, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, had said the petitioners failed to prove their claims during proceedings in the case.

In its judgment on September 28, the Tribunal upheld the preliminary objection filed by Sani’s legal team against Ashiru’s petition, to the effect that the application (for pre- hearing notice) filed by the PDP candidate was done prematurely and abandoned.

The Tribunal immediately dismissed PDP’s petition following the preliminary objection of the governor and the APC.

However, it looked into the merit of the case as it pertains to the margin of win between the two leading candidates.