Six state governors on Friday survived the harmer of the Supreme Court after the appeals seeking the nullification of their elections were dismissed for lacking in merit.
They are Governors Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Uba Sani (Kaduna); Nasir Idris (Kebbi); Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta); Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun).
DELTA
First to know his fate was Governor Sheriff Oborevwor of Delta State, who survived three appeals seeking the nullification of his election.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, dismissed all the three appeals for lacking in merit and affirmed the judgment of both the tribunal and Court of Appeal, which upheld the election of Oborevwori as the winner of the March 18 election in the state.
In the same vein, Justice Okoro also delivered the lead judgment in respect of the appeal filed by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal delivered the judgment on the appeal by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Kenneth Gbaji, while Justice Uwani Abba Aji rendered the judgment of the apex court in respect of the appeal by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Ken Pela, in Delta State.
The court held that the appellants failed woefully to prove the allegations raised in their separate appeals against the outcome of the governorship election in the state. Accordingly the three appeals were dismissed for lacking in merit.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared that Oborevwori of the PDP polled 360,234 votes to win the governorship election ahead of Omo-Agege of the APC, who secured 240,229 votes.
OGUN
The Supreme Court upheld the re-election of Governor Abiodun Dapo of Ogun State. The unanimous decision by a five-member panel dismissed as lacking in merit an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu, to challenge the outcome of the governorship poll.
In its lead judgment that was prepared by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the apex court said it found no reason to nullify the election victory of Governor Abiodun, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The apex court upheld the earlier verdict of the Court of Appeal, which on November 22, 2023, dismissed the case the PDP and its candidate raised against the election.
“This appeal is unmeritorious, and it is accordingly dismissed,” the court held.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had declared that Governor Abiodun polled a total of 276,298 votes to defeat his closest rival, Adebutu of the PDP, who garnered a total of 262,383 votes.
NASARAWA
The Supreme Court also upheld the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State. A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, dismissed the appeal filed by David Umbugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging Sule’s victory.
In the judgment, Kekere-Ekun said: “The issues in this appeal are resolved against the appellant. The appeal lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed.” She said the Court of Appeal in Abuja was right to have “set aside the decision of the tribunal” which had declared Umbugadu the winner of the poll.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar, a member of the Supreme Court panel, also said while contributing to the lead decision: “The appeal is frivolous, vexatious and lacking in merit. It is hereby dismissed.”
The Court of Appeal had, on November 23, overturned the decision of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sat in Lafia, the state capital. In its ruling, the appellate court said the tribunal was wrong to have concluded that Governor Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not win the majority of lawful votes cast at the polls.
KADUNA
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State walked on the path of victory on Friday, as the Supreme Court affirmed his election victory.
A five-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous decision, held that there was no merit in an appeal that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its candidate, Mohammed Ashiru, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election.
In the lead judgment that was delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the apex court held that the petition that the PDP and its candidate filed to challenge Governor Sani’s election was incompetent.
“The appeal is frivolous, vexatious, and irritating. It therefore deserves to be dismissed, and it is hereby dismissed,” Justice Abubakar held.
“The appeal is frivolous, vexatious, and irritating. It therefore deserves to be dismissed, and it is hereby dismissed,” Justice Abubakar held.
GOMBE
The election of Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, was upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday. The apex court in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, dismissed an appeal filed by PDP, and its candidate, Mohammed Barde, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election that was held in the state on March 18, 2023.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the apex court validated the concurrent verdict of the Court of Appeal and Gombe State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which held that the case, which the appellants raised against the election lacked merit.
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on November 23, 2023. The appellate court aligned itself with the position of the tribunal, which threw out the PDP’s contention that Governor Yahaya was not qualified to contest the election.
KEBBI
The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision dismissed an appeal by the PDP, and its candidate, Aminu Bande, seeking to nullify the election of Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State. The apex court in its judgment on Friday, held that the appeal lacked merit. Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who delivered the lead judgment said: “My conclusion is that this appeal lacks merit and it is dismissed.”
SOURCE:THE SUN