JUST-IN: Sokoto Tribunal Endorses Gov Aliyu’s Election

Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s election was Affirm on Saturday by the Sokoto State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Saidu Umar’s petition disputing the victory of the APC and Ahmed Aliyu in the State’s governorship election on March 18, 2023, was rejected by the Tribunal.

The petitioners did not establish their case beyond a reasonable doubt, according to the three-judge panel chaired by Justice Haruna Mshelia.

Earlier, Gistlover reported that journalists who arrived at the court premises as early as 7:00am on Saturday morning were subjected to strict security checks because the court premises were being guarded by heavily armed security personnel, making access to the courtroom a very difficult task. Journalists who were not employed by state government media houses were also not permitted into the chamber of the Sokoto State High Court complex venue of the Tribunal.

Only journalists employed by the state-owned media and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) will be permitted entry into the courtroom, a DSS agent informed journalists present at the court while addressing them.

Sokoto gov tribunal: Security Personals bans journalists From courtroom

Journalists not employed by state or national media outlets were not permitted to enter the courtroom as the Sokoto Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal was scheduled to issue its ruling on Saturday.

Gov. Ahmad Aliyu’s victory in the March 18 governorship election is being contested by the Peoples Democratic Party and Saidu Umar, their candidate.

As the court premises were guarded by heavily armed security personnel, journalists had to pass through strict security checks when they arrived as early as 7:00AM. This made access to the court a very challenging task.

Only journalists from the Nigerian Television Authority and the state-owned media were allowed into the courtroom, according to the Directorate of State Security Services Head, who was speaking to reporters there.

Later, a reporter from the News Agency of Nigeria was permitted to enter the courtroom with other reporters.