The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola has dismissed the suit challenging the emergence of Elisha Abbo as the senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District.
The suit was filed by Binta Masi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who lost the seat to Abbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Abbo appeared in a viral video early July assaulting a nursing mother who tried to defend an attendant, Bibra Warmate, at a sex toy shop in Abuja.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, the tribunal chairman, Justice Sulaiman Akanbi, said that the petitioner could not provide any credible evidence to show that Abbo’s election was marred by over-voting and other irregularities as alleged.
“All said and done, the petitioner failed to prove his petition with convincing evidence. We consequently dismissed this petition,” the judge ruled.
Counsel to Massi, Yakubu Bello, said that his client would appeal the judgment.Abbo, however, said that he was excited by the victory and urged Massi to accept the outcome in good faith.
“My people should be expecting wonders. I am not a mistake and I will make them proud,” he said.
The lawmaker missed the beginning of his trial for the assault at the Zuba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja on August 20.Abbo’s counsel, Adegbite Adeniyi, said his client was suffering from Acute Febrile (a medical term used to describe a sudden fever or elevation in body temperature).
