Supreme Court upholds 5 governors election in a serial judgement
The Supreme Court on Friday, in Abuja affirmed the election victories of five incumbent governors whose election victories in the March 18, 2023 general election was challenged up to the Court of Appeal.
The election of the Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule was affirmed after the state election petition tribunal sacked him and declared David Ombugadu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, the winner of the March 18, 2023 election.
He was reinstated by the appeal court which held that the tribunal wrongly relied on the evidence of eight of the PDP witnesses, whose statements on oath were not front-loaded alongside the petition.
Reading the lead judgement, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that the appeal lacks merit.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State was cleared on Friday in a unanimous decision as five-member panel of the apex court dismissed an appeal the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election that held in the state in 2023.
The court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, held that the appeal lacked merit.
It held that the APC and its candidate did not prove that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2023.
The court dismissed Omo-Agege’s contention that some of the result sheets that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, relied upon to declare Oborevwori winner of the election, did not have serial numbers.
According to the court, even if the total number of INEC forms that the Appellants complained about are removed, it would still not affect the margin of lead that was in Oborevwori’s favour.
It held that the Appellants failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law to warrant the setting aside of both the Court of Appeal judgement and the verdict of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the election of Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of the APC as the Governor of Gombe State.
In a judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by Jibrin Mohammed Barde, who was then candidate of the PDP in the last governorship election in the state
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the lead judgment held that the appellants failed to show that the concurrent findings of the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal were perverse.
Justice Kekere-Ekun resolved all the issues raised in the appeal against the appellants and proceeded to dismiss it.
Again, the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Nasir Idris Gwandu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Kebbi State.
A five-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, dismissed the appeal by Bande Aminu, who was the candidate of the PDP in the last governorship election in the state.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who read the lead judgment, held that the appeal was without merit.
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Adedapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
A five-member panel of the court, in a unanimous judgment a moment ago, dismissed the appeal by Oladipupo Adebutu, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Ogun State.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar, who read the lead judgment, held that Adebutu and his party failed to prove their case.
Justice Abubakar resolved all the issues raised for determination against the appellants and held that the appeal was without merit.
Prince Dapo Abiodun expressed his profound gratitude to the people of Ogun state and the All Progressives Congress (APC), over his affirmation as the governor of the state by the Supreme Court.
He wrote on his X page: “I am profoundly grateful to the incredible people of Ogun State, our extraordinary political party, the All Progressives Congress, @OfficialAPCNg, and its dedicated members, as well as other prominent individuals who have supported us unwaveringly
