The Appeal Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, had
on December 21, 2015, in an appeal filed by Diah,
upheld the decision of the tribunal, which nullified
his election in eight polling units, but ordered run-off
in five polling units of the eight. On December 25,
while Diah was celebrating Christmas with his family
and supporters, the Appeal Court finally sat on the
appeal brought before the court by the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and still upheld the decision
of the tribunal. The ruling has since created a
leadership vacuum in the house that has since
December 25 been without a speaker, and by
implication without any principal officer of the house.
Efforts to get the chairman, House committee on
information and public affairs, Salleh Sa’ad, for
comments on the development failed. However, on
local television stations monitored in Jalingo, Sa’ad
declared the seat of the speaker of the house vacant.
According to him, the Speaker lost the last leg of his
appeal which has stopped him from being a member
and by implication, speaker of the house.
Sa’ad urged the public not to overheat the system as
the house leadership was still intact with the deputy
speaker still in office with other principal officials
and would reconvene when it is time. He noted that
the house was still on recess and would do the right
when it resumes.
It would be recalled that All Progressive Congress,
APC candidate, Emmanuel Bongo, is challenging the
declaration of Diah as member representing
Mbamga state constituency on the grounds that the
election was marred by irregularities and substantial
non-compliance with the electoral act.

Source: -National mirror