S/Court affirms Nasarawa, Gombe, Delta, 3 other govs’ elections

• Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba await judgement

• Protest in Nasarawa as police arrest 38

• Protest won’t change apex court’s ruling — Gov Sule

• APC, PDP laud verdicts, congratulate govs

John C. Azu, Muideen Olaniyi, Saawua Terzungwe, Baba Martins,  Abuja & Umar Muhammed, Lafia

The Supreme Court yesterday affirmed the elections of six state governors on March 18, 2023.

The governors are Abdullahi Sule of (Nasarawa); Umar Sani (Kaduna); Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta); Nasir Idris (Kebbi); Muhammad Inusa Yahaya (Gombe) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun).

This is as the governors of Rivers, Sokoto and Taraba states have their judgements reserved, while the hearing in Adamawa State appeals are yet to be concluded.

The leadership of the different panels which determined the matters was rotated between Justices Inyang Okoro and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

Nasarawa

On the appeal challenging Governor Sule’s election, the apex court upheld the findings of the Court of Appeal that two documents tendered through the bar at the hearing were caught by the limitation of the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, which provides that witness’ statement on oath must be filed alongside the petition within 21 days after the election.

The lead judgement delivered by Justice Kudirat Ekekere-Ekun faulted the decision of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which admitted the documents and upheld Ombugadu’s election despite the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 347,209 votes to his 283, 016 votes.

Kaduna

On the Kaduna appeal, Justice Kekere-Ekun held that the appellants failed to prove the allegations of corrupt practices and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Sule.

The panel upheld the earlier findings of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which held that the allegations of deduction of votes, stuffing of ballot boxes and mutilation of sensitive electoral materials were borne out of hearsay as the witnesses were not directly involved.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had also dismissed the split decision of the governorship tribunal, which affirmed that the election was inconclusive in 22 polling units of four local governments with 16,300 registered voters.

The PDP alleged that Uba was not duly elected by a majority of valid votes cast in the election, adding that some polling unit results were wrongfully cancelled, as well as inconsistencies in accreditation records from INEC.

Delta

On the Delta State appeal, the panel led by Justice Inyang Okoro held equally that the three separate appeals challenging Governor Oborevwori’s election lacked merit.

The appeals were brought by Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC; Ken Pela of the Labour Party (LP) and Kenneth Gbagi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) challenging the outcome of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

Ogun

On the Ogun appeal, the panel, presided by Justice Okoro by the PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, was unmeritorious.

Adebutu had sought the nullification of Governor Abiodun’s declaration as winner of the election on the ground that the Electoral Act, 2022 was not adhered to, citing corrupt practices and issue of non-qualification.

But the panel upheld the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which held that the PDP and Adebutu failed to prove the allegation of irregularities in the election, and turned down the order for INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.

Gombe

On the Gombe appeal, the panel presided by Justice Kekere-Ekun held that the appellant failed to prove allegations of non-qualification, perjury  and certificate forgery, widespread irregularities and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The panel said it found no reasonable ground to upturn the decisions reached by the tribunal and the Court of Appeal on Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya’s election.

The petition and the appeal were filed by the PDP candidate, Jibrin Barde, contending that he scored majority of the lawful votes in the election.

The apex court had on Thursday also dismissed an appeal by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate, Nafiu Bala, against the election of Yahaya after it advised the counsel in the matter to withdraw same for being incompetent.

Kebbi

On the Kebbi appeal, the panel presided by Justice Kekere-Ekun affirmed the election of Nasir Idris of Kebbi State.

The panel further held that the appeal lacked merit and dismissed same.

The PDP candidate, Aminu Bande had brought the appeal against the governor, contending that his election was marred by widespread irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2023.

He had also contended that Governor Idris’ deputy governor, Abubakar Tafida, filed a false information to INEC in aid of his qualification for the office.

INEC had declared Idris the winner of the election, having polled 409,225 votes to beat Bande, who got 360,940 votes.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court rescheduled the judgement in the Rivers State governorship election appeal unilaterally brought by Tonye Cole against Governor Simalayi Fubara.

The apex court also reserved judgment in the appeals of Sokoto and Taraba challenging the elections of Ahmad Aliyu and Kefas Agbu respectively.

However, the apex court was yet to conclude hearing on the appeal against the election of Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State brought by the APC candidate, Aishatu Binani Dahiru Ahmed.

Protest trails Nasarawa verdict, police arrest 38

Meanwhile, protest broke out in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital following the Supreme Court judgement affirming the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that the Lafia-Jos road was completely blocked as protesters set fire to tyres along the road, preventing travellers and other road users from passing.

Motorists had to take alternative routes to find their way out of Lafia.

Our correspondent also reports that shop owners and business centres, including schools within the Lafia metropolis, abruptly closed following the development.

In the meantime, the Nasarawa State police command said it arrested 38 suspects during the protest that trailed the verdict of the apex court.

The commissioner of police in the state, Umar Shehu Nadada, who disclosed this in Lafia, said the command recovered no fewer than 29 motorcycles.

He said the matter was being investigated at the command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The police boss explained that the command arrested the protesters because they violated the peace accord entered into with the APC stakeholders and PDP stakeholders in the state.

  Protest won’t change apex court’s ruling – Nasarawa governor

But Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has advised people protesting after the Supreme Court affirmed his election in the March 18, 2023 election to learn from the maturity displayed by members of the ruling APC who heeded the advice not to protest when he lost at the tribunal.

He gave the advice on Friday while fielding questions from State House reporters after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sule, who paid a thank-you visit to the president in company of his two predecessors in Nasarawa State, Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Umar Tanko Al-Makura, said protests would not change the verdict of the apex court.

He called on his opponents, without any grudge whatsoever, to come and join him in building the state.

Governor Sule thanked the Almighty God for the opportunity of democracy in Nigeria and Mr President for ensuring that fairness was done without undue interference and allowing the justice system to work.

On its part, the Nasarawa State chapter of the PDP said the Supreme Court judgement did not reflect their expectations.

Chairman of the party in the state, Francis Orogu said this in an  interview with Daily Trust Saturday in Lafia, the state capital.

“Only God knows the bases of the judgement, but as far as the people of Nasarawa State and Nigeria are concerned, it was an injustice and we have no other choice but to accept it.”

 APC welcomes S/Court verdicts in six states

The All Progressives Congress has welcomed the Supreme Court decisions in election petitions challenging the outcome of the March 18, 2023 governorship elections in six states.

The party in a statement on Friday by its national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, a lawyer, said, “In every contest, you win some and lose some, but we must all continue to submit to the dictates of the rule of law and constitutional order.”

 Daily Trust Saturday reports that the apex court affirmed APC’s governorship mandates in Gombe, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kebbi States. In Delta State, the court decided in favour of the opposition.

“We congratulate the winners, particularly our governors, Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Nasir Idris (Kebbi),” the statement added.

 PDP congratulates Delta governor on Supreme Court victory

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on the judgement of the Supreme Court which affirmed his victory at the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

The party said the verdict was another “resounding victory for democracy, rule of law, and expressed the will of the people of Delta State in their determination to sustain peace, good governance and development in their state under the banner of the PDP.”

Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary of the party stated, “Governor Oborevwori’s overwhelming victory at the poll as affirmed by the tribunal, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, is a celebratory testament of the triumph of the will and aspiration of the people of Delta State in resistance to anti-democratic forces that sought to forcefully take control of their state.

“The PDP salutes the people of Delta State for their support to the party and Governor Oborevwori, who epitomizes their collective will for purposeful, transparent, people-based and development-oriented leadership in the state.

“Our party is proud of Governor Oborevwori’s capacity for leadership as evident in his achievements in the delivery of life-changing citizen empowerment programmes and projects in critical sectors, including agriculture, education, health care, power, industrialisation, oil and gas, housing, road infrastructure, among others since his inauguration on May 29, 2023.”