Breakin: Taraba Election Tribunal Declares Senator Aisha Alhassan, Governor

The Chairman of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar has declared, All Progressive Congress (APC) Candidate, Hajiya Aisha Jumai Alhassan winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Taraba State.

The tribunal sitting at the Appeal Court Headquarters in Abuja on Saturday while delivering its judgment held that there was no valid candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that contested the election.

The tribunal ordered the immediate swearing-in of the APC candidate.

The PDP did not hold a valid primary election, the tribunal ruled.

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. 

The PDP candidate Darius Ishaku was then declared winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, Senator Alhasan rejected the result and lodged a suit with the election appeals tribunal claiming the polls were marred with irregularities.

Meanwhile, wild jubilation erupted today in the state following the Taraba election petition tribunal verdict which declared Senator Aisha Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of the State.