LG Election Tribunal: Niger SIEC Chairman risks warrant of arrest over non-compliance

The Niger State Local government Election Petition Tribunal, of Zone B’ has ordered the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) to produce original register of voters used at the Gurara Local Government Chairmanship Election, list of permanent voter card collected in the polling units and ballot papers and ballot boxes.

Giving the order in a ruling delivered on Wednesday, the 7th January, 2026 by the Chairman of the Tribunal, Chief Magistrate Maryam King ordered that NSIEC should present the documents at the next adjourned date without further delay.

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The counsel to the petitioner, Barrister Abdulraham Ahmad Siraj drew the attention of the Tribunal to the non-compliance of an earlier order of “subpoena duces tecum” issued by the Tribunal to the NSIEC and consequently further requested the Tribunal to further direct NSIEC to comply because the availability of the documents so subpoenaed is fundamental to the petitioner’s case before the Tribunal.

He further submitted that he will be compelled to apply for an arrest warrant to be issued by the Tribunal for the arrest of the Chairman NSIEC for disobeying a lawful Order of the Tribunal.

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However, the lead counsel to the 3rd Respondent (NSIEC) who is also the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the office of the Attorney General of Niger State Mallam Usman Baba Nuraini, Esq told the Tribunal that the Niger State Electoral Commission (NSIEC) cannot present documents to the Tribunal because of its sensitivity.

“My noble Lords, the documents requested by my learned brother are sensitive documents which cannot be released by NSIEC to this tribunal.

“The original register of voters used,List of permanent voters card and ballot papers and the ballot boxes are all sensitive documents that cannot be brought to this tribunal “ the DPP told the Tribunal.

In a heated argument with the lead counsel, the Chairman of the Tribunal through a member of the Tribunal Chief Magistrate Paul Adama took a swipe at the lead counsel arguing that the DPP should without further delay talk to his client (the NSIEC) to present the requested documents to the Tribunal.

“This tribunal is an honourable tribunal of competent jurisdiction, Yourself as the DPP it is your own honour if parties or litigants respect and honor the order of the Tribunal, so it is not honorable for you to stand here in the Tribunal to tell me that the documents are sensitive documents. So tell your client to bring these documents to the Tribunal not to move us to issue a warrant of arrest on your client “ he declared.

A total of 42 witnesses have so far testified before the tribunal in the ongoing hearing of the Gurara Local Government Election between Attahiru Musa Abubakar of the Social Democratic party(SDP) and Jonah Ishaya of the All Progressive Congress (APC)

The whole witnesses have all adopted their witness statement on oath as their evidence in support of the petition before the tribunal.

Attahiru Musa Abubakar has approached the tribunal through his Counsel Abdurrahaman Ahmad Siraj challenging the election of Jonah Ishaya alleging that Jonah Ishaya was not qualified to contest the election in the 1st November 2025 election and the election was marred with irregularities and non-compliance with the electoral act.

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