Nigeria gets first ever female governor as
tribunal declares Aisha Alhassan victor in
Taraba
NIGERIA has got its first ever elected female
governor after the election appeals tribunal
declared Senator Aisha Alhassan of the All
Progressives Congress (PDP) as the duly
elected governor of Taraba State this
morning.
After the April 11 elections, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (Inec) had
declared Darius Ishaku of the People's
Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the
Taraba State governorship contest. However,
Senator Alhasan rejected the result and
lodged a suit with the election appeals
tribunal claiming the polls were marred with
irregularities.
In April, Professor Kyari Mohammed, Inec's
returning officer in Taraba State, said Mr
Ishaku scored 369,318 votes to emerge
victorious. He added that Senator Alhassan
came second with 275,984 votes, while Chief
David Kente of the Social Democratic Party
polled 29,966 votes to come third.
Since then, the matter has been pending
before the election tribunal with senator
Alhassan claiming that the results ascribed to
Wukari, Donga, Takum, Sardauna, Zing, Yorro,
Kurmi and some parts of Ussa, Karim-
Lamido, Bali, Ardo-Kola and Lau local
government areas were not acceptable as
they did not reflect the true results of the
votes cast. This morning, the tribunal agreed
with her and sacked Mr Ishaku as governor,
declaring Senator Alhassan the duly elected
governor.
While the case was pending, Senator
Alhassan was nominated or a ministerial
position by President Muhammadu Buhari and
subsequently was screened and cleared by
the Nigerian senate. Following her victory at
the tribunal, President Buhari will now have to
nominate another minister from Taraba State.
According to Senator Alhassan, all the
complaints about the irregularities and abuse
of the election guidelines were promptly
reported to Inec but that no action was taken.
With her victory, she will become the only
female among Nigeria's influential 36 state
governors.
Nigeria has never had a female governor
before, although several states have women
as deputies. Between November 2006 and
February 2007, Anambra State deputy
governor Virginia Etiaba served as governor
following the impeachment of Governor Peter
Obi but an appeal court nullified the
impeachment, also nullifying her tenure as a
governor.
tribunal declares Aisha Alhassan victor in
Taraba
NIGERIA has got its first ever elected female
governor after the election appeals tribunal
declared Senator Aisha Alhassan of the All
Progressives Congress (PDP) as the duly
elected governor of Taraba State this
morning.
After the April 11 elections, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (Inec) had
declared Darius Ishaku of the People's
Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the
Taraba State governorship contest. However,
Senator Alhasan rejected the result and
lodged a suit with the election appeals
tribunal claiming the polls were marred with
irregularities.
In April, Professor Kyari Mohammed, Inec's
returning officer in Taraba State, said Mr
Ishaku scored 369,318 votes to emerge
victorious. He added that Senator Alhassan
came second with 275,984 votes, while Chief
David Kente of the Social Democratic Party
polled 29,966 votes to come third.
Since then, the matter has been pending
before the election tribunal with senator
Alhassan claiming that the results ascribed to
Wukari, Donga, Takum, Sardauna, Zing, Yorro,
Kurmi and some parts of Ussa, Karim-
Lamido, Bali, Ardo-Kola and Lau local
government areas were not acceptable as
they did not reflect the true results of the
votes cast. This morning, the tribunal agreed
with her and sacked Mr Ishaku as governor,
declaring Senator Alhassan the duly elected
governor.
While the case was pending, Senator
Alhassan was nominated or a ministerial
position by President Muhammadu Buhari and
subsequently was screened and cleared by
the Nigerian senate. Following her victory at
the tribunal, President Buhari will now have to
nominate another minister from Taraba State.
According to Senator Alhassan, all the
complaints about the irregularities and abuse
of the election guidelines were promptly
reported to Inec but that no action was taken.
With her victory, she will become the only
female among Nigeria's influential 36 state
governors.
Nigeria has never had a female governor
before, although several states have women
as deputies. Between November 2006 and
February 2007, Anambra State deputy
governor Virginia Etiaba served as governor
following the impeachment of Governor Peter
Obi but an appeal court nullified the
impeachment, also nullifying her tenure as a
governor.
Comments