The National and State House of Assembly election petition sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has uphold the election of Jang as Senator representing Plateau North senatorial district.
Delivering judgement, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Olanrewaju Akeredolu stated that the petitioners, could not discharge the evidential burden of proof placed upon them by law; hence the failure of the petition in its entirety.
After four months of legal arguments by counsels of the petitioners and the respondents, the Plateau State Election Petition Tribunal delivered judgement in the case to determine the Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District.
Mrs Eunice Aisha Sambo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had challenged the election of former governor, Jonah Jang, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Senator representing Plateau North at the Election Petition Tribunal on various allegations ranging from over voting, non election in some polling units, multiple voting as well as irregularities and discrepancies in result sheets.
The petitioners presented 20 prosecution witnesses at the tribunal in arguing the case, while less than 10 witnesses appeared for the respondents during the trial.
Delivering judgement Justice Akeredolu declared that the onus is on the petitioners to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt and must not only assert but also prove that non compliance as alleged during the polls, affected the election results to justify its cancellation as prayed by the petitioners.
Counsel to the petitioners told Channels Television that they are studying the judgement before the next line of action would be taken and refused any comments while counsel the respondents, Sunday Oyawole, commended the tribunal for the efforts in arriving at the judgement.
The tribunal also awarded the sum of N200, 000 cost as damages to the respondents.
