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Inconsistent Tribunal Rulings Worry PDP Chieftain.

Abuja, Nigeria – Felix Hyat, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, has expressed concern over the varying decisions made by election petition tribunals, stating that these inconsistencies are undermining Nigeria’s democracy.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, Hyat highlighted that despite having the same electoral laws and guidelines, different rulings are being handed down for cases with similar facts and circumstances, leading to confusion.

He further remarked that some tribunal judgments seemed to be driven by the personal opinions of the judges, rather than a strict application of the law. Hyat noted that at times, it appeared that the tribunals were not adhering to the clearly defined legal framework.

Hyat particularly pointed to the contrasting rulings in Plateau State, where the same complaints were presented by petitioners, but different tribunals reached opposing conclusions. In one case, the tribunal ruled that the PDP had a structure and had complied with a court order to conduct a repeat congress, while another tribunal held the opposite view.

The PDP Chairman emphasized that issues related to party primaries were internal matters and not the concern of external parties. He cited Supreme Court decisions that specified that tribunals were not meant to handle pre-election matters and that only aspirants who participated in a primary election had the standing to challenge its outcome.

Hyat also discussed the rulings of governorship tribunals in Kaduna State, where there were complaints about irregularities in INEC calculations of votes. While similar complaints in Nasarawa and Kano States led to the rightful winners being declared, the Kaduna tribunal called for fresh elections in some polling units, despite evidence of vote mutilation.

He stated that the PDP believes in the importance of elections being decided by votes and that they were confident they had won in Kaduna, which is why they have appealed the tribunal’s decision. Hyat expressed confidence in the judiciary’s ability to address these issues, especially as the Kaduna tribunal’s judgment was divided, with two judges favoring the PDP’s position.

In conclusion, Hyat emphasized that the higher courts have the final say, and the PDP is pursuing legal avenues to address their concerns.

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