EDOZIE, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The 1st Respondent and the Appellant were candidates in the Billiri Local Government Council election for Tanglang Ward conducted by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC for short) on 5th December, 1998. The former contested under the platform of All Peoples Party (APP) while the latter was fielded by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). At the end of the poll, the 1st Respondent was declared the winner with a total of 883 votes as against 743 votes scored by the Appellant. In consequence, the Appellant as petitioner filed a petition before the Local Government Council Election Tribunal for Gombe seeking in paragraph 11 thereof the following reliefs:
"(a) A declaration that the 1st Respondent did not score the majority of lawful votes cast at the election.
(b) A declaration that the 1st Respondent is disqualified to contest the said election having impersonated somebody else.
(c) An order that the authentic election result…