Appeal Court affirms election of Kaduna, Kebbi, Ogun, Delta, Ebonyi govs
Sacks Bauchi Speaker
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja and Lagos yesterday affirmed the election of Governors Uba Sani, Dapo Abiodun, Sheriff Oborevwori, Nasir Idris and Francis Nwifuru of Kaduna, Ogun, Delta, Kebbi and Ebonyi states respectively.
At the Abuja Division of the appellate court, a three-member panel on Friday unanimously affirmed the victory of Governor Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship election.
In the lead judgement, Justice Obientobara Owupele DanielKalio held that the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mohammed Ashiru, failed to provide sufficient evidence to warrant the tribunal’s declaration of the election as inconclusive.
Similarly, ruling on the two cross-appeals by Governor Sani challenging the order for supplementary elections in 22 polling units, the panel dismissed the objections by Ashiru and set aside the verdict of the Kaduna State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal for relying on the hearsay evidence of witnesses, which it had earlier dismissed in arriving at the decision to invalidate the election and order a supplementary election in 22 polling units of Kaduna.
The panel resolved the five issues raised in the appeal in favour of the governor, bordering on alleged malpractices, over-voting, manipulation of results on IReV and ballot box stuffing.
Ashiru had filed appeal after the Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal upheld the election of Sani of the APC who was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 730,002 votes to Ashiru’s to Ashiru’s 719,196 votes.
Also, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the March 18 Nasir Idris of the APC as the lawfully elected governor of Kebbi State.
A three-member panel on Friday held that the appeal by the PDP and its governorship candidate, General Aminu Bande (retd) lacked merit.
In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Ndukwe Anyannwu, the appellate court resolved all the five issues formulated for determination in favour of the governor and against PDP.
Justice Anyanwu held that the allegation of forgery of testimonial brought against the deputy governor, Abubakar Umar Tafida, was not established as required by law.
She also held that the issue of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 in the conduct of the election could not stand because the appellants failed to prove how the allegations substantially affected the election.
Justice Anyanwu subsequently affirmed the judgement of the Kebbi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which had earlier dismissed the petition of the PDP and affirmed the election of the governor.
At the Lagos division of the appellate court, a three-member panel of justices, on Friday in a split decision, upheld the election of Governor Abiodun of the APC after dismissing the appeal by Ladi Adebutu of the PDP for failing to prove the allegations of irregularities in the election.
The majority judgement read by Justice Joseph Shabaor Ikyegh, was, however, countered by the minority judgement of Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang, which allowed the appeal and ordered the INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.
In the Delta governorship appeal, the Lagos division of the appellate court held that the appeal by the governorship candidate of the APC, Ovie Omo-Agege against Governor Oborevwori of the PDP lacked merit.
The panel, which upheld the verdict of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, also dismissed the appeal by the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Ken Pela and the Social Dmocratic Party (SDP) candidate, Kenneth Gbagi.
The appellate court in Lagos also on Friday upheld the election of the Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru of the APC.
A three-member panel led by Justice Jummai Sankey, in the lead judgement, dismissed the appeal of Ifeanyichukwu Odii of the PDP challenging the result of the March 18 election.
The panel held that Odii failed to prove allegations of irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
Bauchi Speaker sacked, INEC criticised
In a related development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has sacked the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman over the March 18 state assembly election in his constituency.
A three-member panel on Friday held that the election that produced Suleiman in Ningi Central constituency in Ningi Local Government Area was full of irregularities, and therefore, inconclusive.
The appellate court ordered a rerun in 10 polling units in the constituency.
Meanwhile, the lead justice in the matter has warned INEC to conduct its affairs in accordance with the law to ensure peace and stability of Nigeria.
Delivering judgement in the Ningi Central constituency appeal, Justice Kenneth Amadi said INEC’s conduct of the 2023 general elections was like that of a biased umpire.
Accept judgement in good faith, Sani tells opposition
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, has urged the opposition to accept the Court of Appeal verdict affirming his victory as the winner of the 2023 election in good faith and as the will of the people.
Expressing joy and gratitude at the confirmation of his victory, Governor Sani, in a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Muhammad Shehu Lawal, also extended a hand of fellowship to all opposing sides in a bid to move the state forward in tandem with his #SUSTAINKaduna agenda.
PDP remains unbeatable, says sacked Bauchi speaker
Following the Court of Appeal ruling in Abuja Friday that sacked him from office, the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly Abubakar Suleiman, has vowed that the PDP remains unbeatable in Ningi, expressing confidence of reclaiming his mandate during the rerun election.
A statement signed by his spokesman, Abdul Ahmad Burra, he described the judgement as a minor political setback, which is not new in his political career.
The Speaker said he was ever ready for the rerun election to add to the almost 2,000 votes margin he gave his opponent.
Verdict a proof that Kebbi people voted for me, APC – Gov Idris
Nasiru Idris of Kebbi has said the Appeal Court decision affirming his victory as the duly elected governor of the state is a clear evidence that the people of the state actually voted for him and his party, the APC in the last elections.
The governor, while reacting to the appeal court judgement upholding his victory on Friday in Abuja said, “Today, the Appeal Court gave judgement in my favour. This is not only for me but for Kebbi people, the APC and the Almighty Allah.”
He called on the opposition in the state to join hands with the APC-led government in its bid to serve and give dividends of democracy to people of the state.