Tribunal nullifies governor’s election over fraud

An electoral tribunal in Nigeria has nullified the election of the state governor of Adamawa State in the north east of the country, upholding opposition claims that April 2003 polls were rigged in his favour. Boni Haruna was elected governor of Adamawa State representing the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). But his victory was challenged at an election tribunal by Adamu Moddibo of the main opposition, the All Nigeria People's Party (APP) who alleged large-scale rigging, including illegal stuffing of ballot boxes and alteration of results. Justice Kashim Zanna of the state electoral court in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, upheld the opposition claims in his judgment on Wednesday and voided election results in 14 of the 21 local government councils of the state. Zanna ruled that Haruna was “not validly elected” and his election was therefore “nullified”. Fresh elections in the affected local government councils have been ordered. Also affected by the order is Vice President Atiku Abubakar's home council, Jada, where a witness told the court the election result had been altered by a top electoral official. The official wanted to save the vice president from the embarrassment of having his party lose in his own local council, the witness said. Governor Haruna’s spokesman, Willie Zalwallie, said the ruling did not imply the governor “should leave office” immediately. He said the governor will appeal against the judgment and even if he lost, would remain in office until fresh elections were held. Steve Osemeke, spokesman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, declined to comment on the case, saying his body had yet to be officially notified of the court ruling. Local and international election observer groups had said the landslide victory won by President Olusegun Obasanjo's party in 2003 was tainted by widespread fraud and violence in most of Nigeria's 36 states. Obasanjo’s re-election is among many currently being challenged by opposition parties in courts across Nigeria.