The tribunal had nullified his election and the election and declared Dr. Joseph Haruna Kigbu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as winner of the election. This followed a petition filed by the PDP candidate, challenging the cancellation of the March 28 general election and the April 18 re-run election by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC). Delivering his judgement, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Peter Obiorah, said the cancellation of the March 28 election was unlawful because INEC does not have ghe mandate to arbitrate on electoral fraud, adding that the April 18 re-run election was unnecessary as elections in Ciroma ward was conclusive. In his ruling, Justice Obiorah indicated that Dr. Musa Abu Abari who was the returning officer to Dr. Kigbu in the disputed Ciroma ward of Lafia local government connived to alter election results against his candidate, noting that despite the fact that the re-run election was illegal, it was marred by violence, and irregularities. Justice Obiorah explained that the cancellation of the March 28 election was as a result of the unlawful conduct of the INEC returning officer which led to the conduct of the illegal re-run election by the electoral body. He, therefore, declared Kigbu as the lawful winner of the election and ordered INEC to issue him with certificate of return. In his reaction to the judgement, Dr. Kigbu expressed delight in the Nigerian judiciary saying his victory is a monumental score of confidence for the judicial system. He promised to carry everyone along without recourse to party affiliation even as he expressed his readiness to consolidate on his achievements in the past four years aimed at improving the quality of life of his constituents. ]]>