The Chairmanship Candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), in Rijau local government at the 1st,November 2025 Local Government Election in Niger State ,Alhaji Umar Budan, has created a scene while testifying as a witness at the Tribunal.
The Chairmanship Candidate who administered an oath with the Holy Qur'an before testifying told the three member panel of the tribunal that there was no election in Rijau at the 1st November,2025 local government election.
He told the panelist that he will be ready to withdraw his petition against the three respondents and should then take the bold step to swear to the Holy Qur'an election was conducted on the 1st November, 2025 in Rijau. then he will withdraw his petition from the tribunal.
“ I'm ready to withdraw my petition from the tribunal against the three respondents if they can swear with the Holy Qur’an that the election was conducted in Rijau local government on the 1st November,2025 I will leave them to their conscience” he said.
According to the Chairmanship Candidate, he has already thrown a challenge to them to take the path that I took by swearing with the Holy Qur’an that election was conducted on the 1st of November, 2025, in Rijau,” If they can do the same I did by swearing with the Holy Qur'an I'm ready to withdraw my petition against the the APC,the NSIEC and the acclaimed winner of the election without wasting the precious time of the tribunal” he declared.
Alhaji Umar Budan,of the People Democratic Party (PDP) has approached the tribunal through his Attorney,Barrister Emmanuel Ogbonoje,and filed a petition against Abdullahi Yakubu Duku of the All Progressive Congress (APC),challenging the outcome of the 1st November,2025 local government election of in Rijau local government council that the election was not conducted inline with the electoral act.
A total of eighty four witnesses were called to testify at the tribunal headed by Chief Magistrate Murtala Bala Ibrahim.
All the witnesses gave their testimonies arguing that no election was held in Rijau as claimed by Yakubu Duku and the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC),
Speaking in an interview shortly after the tribunal proceedings, the petitioner,Alhaji Umar Umar Budan stated that he was has testified before the tribunal that there was no election was conducted on the election day in Rijau local government and he sworned with the Holy Qur'an in the tribunal that no election “ whatsoever was conducted in Rijau”
He disclosed that hie decision to take oath with the Holy book was aimed at challenging the three respondents in the matter to take the same oath he took with the Holy Qur'an stating that,” if they can be bold and courageous enough to take the same path of swearing with the Holy Qur'an believing me, I'm ready to withdraw my petition against them without further delay”
He said no body in Rijau town and villages voted during the election the local government election,” and if there is anybody that voted they should come forward to testify and swear by the Qur'an the same way I did.
“ For NSIEC to collect our three hundred thousand Naira as nomination forms and five hundred thousand Naira tax clearance form and use the same money to engage the service of lawyers to fight us in the tribunal is quiet unfortunate.
“ Like I said, if the respondents, the NSIEC,the APC,and the acclaimed chairman of Rijau local government can the courage and be bold enought to swear by the Holy Qur'an just like I did I'm ready to discontinue with the case. he stated.
He described as ungodly the way and manner the state electoral commission and it's management team undermined the right of the people of Rijau for denying them to vote for the candidate of their choice at the poll.
Speaking further, Umar Budan noted that he approached the tribunal to challenge the manipulation exhibited by NSIEC in the conduct of the election “ because I know that Justice will definitely prevail and I'm so confidence that the tribunal is our last resort to give us justice. The members of the tribunal are people with integrity and they have the fear of God in their conduct and by the Grace of God I will get justice “
He appealed to his supporters to maintain peace and remain law abiding and to avoid any act that will under the course of Justice “ we are demanding from the tribunal”
