El-Rufai Files Defence In Election Tribunal Suit Of Alleged Poll Rigging

Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai has filed his response at the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to a petition challenging his March 9 election victory.

The petition was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru challenging the conduct of the governorship election with governor-elect, El-Rufai, of the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), as respondents.

Ashiru wants the tribunal to upturn the election of El-Rufai as governor and declare him the rightful winner of the election on the grounds that the poll was characterized by massive rigging in several polling units across the state.

However, a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Election Petitions Committee, Hussani Gumi who filed the response on behalf of El-Rufai, expressed confidence that the governor’s victory at the tribunal is certain.

According to Gumi, the response to the petition is in line with the constitutional 14 days required for respondents to file their responses, even as he says the PDP candidate’s petition is nothing to worry about.

Gumi described Ashiru’s allegation that the APC rigged the governorship election as a mere figment of his imagination.