From Tom Garba, Yola
Hon. Mustapha Maigari, a two-term member of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, on Wednesday told newsmen in Yola that his case at the Adamawa State House of Assembly Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja was struck out on technical grounds.
It will be recalled that Mustapha had dragged Hon. Mohammed Hayatu Atiku, member representing Uba/Gaya state constituency in Hong local government area to the tribunal over alleged illegibility to contest the 2015 state assembly election.
He also joined INEC and the All Progressive Congress (APC) in his petition.
He claimed that Atiku, who was declared winner on the platform of the APC, allegedly paraded a fake B.Sc Mathematics 2008 degree of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
He prayed the tribunal to disqualify Atiku and bar the APC from fielding another candidate in a subsequent rerun election.
The Justice Anthony Onovo-led tribunal earlier struck out the case on grounds of not including the issue of nullification and conducting a fresh election.
He said that the petitioner did not sought for a fresh election in his prayer before the tribunal and that the tribunal will not act as a Father Christmas.
Maigari while reacting to the judgment, told newsmen that although, the case was heard on its merit, it was stuck out on technical ground.
He said that the tribunal had subpoenaed the ABU to appear for it as part of witnesses that testified before the tribunal.
Maigari added that the Deputy Registrar of the institution appeared before the tribunal and testified that the certificate presented to INEC by Atiku was not from ABU but rather forged.
Maigari said: “It is common knowledge that the deputy registrar of the Ahmadu Bello University testified in court that the certificate attached to form CF001 of the INEC form does not emanate from the institution.
“I am not satisfied with the outcome of the judgment and therefore, proceeding to the Court of Appeal to pursue this case to its logical conclusion.’’
Maigari has also appealed to the President, Court of Appeal for the matter to be decided on its merit.
The visibly angry Maigari told newsmen that “the judiciary is the last hope of a common man’’.
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