Dakingari denies lobbying Yar’Adua to win case

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 31.01.2008

The governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, has dispelled speculations that he has been lobbying President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, for intervention in his case before the Appeal Court in order to obtain a favourable Court Judgment.

Dakingari said he was not given to such antics of lobbying, even though, he said he held President Yar’Adua in high esteem. He also denied ever lobbying some judges ahead of the judgment by the Appeal Court.

The Kebbi State governor had proceeded to the Appeal Court in Kaduna praying it to set aside the earlier judgment by the Election Petitions Tribunal in Kebbi State which nullified his victory at the April 2007 governorship election in the state.

The case, however, came up for hearing last Tuesday in Kaduna, although, it was postponed till February 19, 2008 when counsels for the governor and those of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) pleaded for time to enable them perfect on their presentations.

The governor, who spoke in Abuja through one of his Special Advisers, Mallam Aminu Usman, said he believed that he had a strong case before the Appeal Court Tribunal and had never been under any pressure to influence the judiciary to obtain correct justice.

He said, he like President Yar’Adua, believed in the rule of law, adding that the case before the Appeal Court required no extra efforts from him since it is being handled by competent counsels.