Roni-Ramdhan Challenges North Gorontalo Revote Results Over TSM Violations

Heru Widodo (left) as the Petitioner’s Legal Counsel, delivering testimony during the Preliminary Hearing of Case Number 320/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the 2024 Regent Election Results Dispute of North Gorontalo District, held on Thursday (5/15/2025) in Panel 3 of the Constitutional Court. Photo by MKRI/Bayu

JAKARTA, MKRI – Candidate pair Number 1 for Regent and Vice Regent of North Gorontalo, Roni Imran and Ramdhan Mapaliey, officially filed a petition with the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding the results of the 2024 North Gorontalo Regent and Vice Regent Election Re-vote.

The petition challenges Decision Number 312 of 2025 issued by the North Gorontalo General Election Commission (KPU), which determined the re-vote results on April 23, 2025, as a follow-up to the Constitutional Court’s previous ruling. The Preliminary Hearing for Case Number 320/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was held on Thursday (15/5/2025), presided over by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, accompanied by Justices Anwar Usman and Enny Nurbaningsih.

Heru Widodo, serving as legal counsel for the Petitioners, explained that the vote difference between the Petitioners and Candidate Pair Number 2, Thariq Modanggu and Nurjana Hasan Yusuf (the Related Party), was 2,640 votes—a margin exceeding the 2% threshold for filing a petition, which equates to 1,475 votes based on the total valid votes. However, the Petitioners argued that the results were marred by structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations.

“Although the vote margin exceeds the 2% threshold, the case involves measurable and serious violations, particularly regarding the validity of the high school equivalency diploma of Vice Regent Candidate Number 2, as well as alleged practices of structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) money politics,” explained Heru Widodo, legal counsel for the Petitioners, before the Panel of Justices.

According to the Petitioners, the diploma submitted by Nurjana Hasan Yusuf, reportedly issued by PKBM Samratulangi, Manado City, is allegedly juridically flawed. Heru emphasized that the validity of the educational document constitutes a fundamental requirement for candidacy.

“By approving a candidate pair that does not fulfill the minimum education requirement equivalent to senior high school, the Respondent has violated the principle of free and fair elections,” he asserted.

Involving Village Heads and DPRD Members

Furthermore, Heru Widodo also revealed the alleged massive practice of money politics orchestrated by the related party, involving the success team, village heads, and members of the Gorontalo Provincial Regional Legislative Council (DPRD). He described the distribution of cash to voters in several areas, including Maningkapoto Village, Kwandang District, as well as the transfer of funds to a number of village heads during a meeting held on April 1, 2025, at the residence of Revan, also known as RSB, a member of Candidate Pair Number 2’s success team.

Heru went on to explain that, following the distribution of Holiday Allowance (THR), the village heads attended a direct meeting with the candidate pair at the official residence of the Gorontalo Provincial DPRD. “This was not merely a social visit, but a systematic strategy to build political support and influence the election outcome,” he emphasized.

Bawaslu Appoints Suspects

Heru also stated that several reports had been submitted to Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and Gakkumdu, with some already under legal process. The North Gorontalo Regency Bawaslu has even named two suspects in connection with the distribution of money to voters, namely Hamran Ahaya (Village Head of Oluhuta) and Serlin Pasilia. Meanwhile, the Gorontalo Province Bawaslu has issued a Preliminary Decision indicating that the report concerning structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations is eligible for further examination.

“We have outlined all of these legal facts in detail in the arguments of the petition, specifically in points 1 to 11, on pages 10 to 12, and substantiated with evidence marked P-6 to P-11,” he added.

Therefore, in their petition, the Petitioner requests the Court to declare that the candidate pair Thariq Modanggu and Nurjana Hasan Yusuf have been proven to have committed TSM violations and should be disqualified from participating in the 2024 North Gorontalo Regent and Deputy Regent Election, and to declare the Petitioner as the duly elected candidate pair in the said election. (*)

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Roni-Ramdhan Challenges North Gorontalo Revote Results Over TSM Violations