Protest greets S/Court’s affirmation of Gov Sule’s victory

Oborevwori, Abiodun, Sani, Idris, Yahaya win

Several groups Friday marched the streets of Lafia and other parts of Nasarawa State in protest against the Supreme Court ruling affirming that Abdullahi Sule remains the state’s governor.

The protest broke out shortly after the apex court pronounced their judgement, which led to protesters in large numbers blocking the Lafia-Jos road lighting bonfires and chanting solidarity songs.

Motorists were diverting to alternative routes as security agencies tried to restore calm to the areas. Business centres, including shops and other ventures, were closed.

Hopes had been high that the apex court would wrest the state back from the hands of Mr Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but Supreme Court Justice Kekere Ekun agreed with the Court of Appeal that the case against his election lacked merit.

The apex and appellate courts both rejected the position of the tribunal that had earlier sacked Mr. Sule and declared his rival from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), David Umbugadu, as the winner.

According to the results of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Sule polled 347,209 votes to defeat Mr Ombugadu with 283,016 votes.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment on Friday proclaimed Sheriff Oborevwori as the duly elected governor of Delta.

READ ALSO: Group Commends Keyamo Over Relocation Of FAAN.

The Apex court dismissed the appeal brought before it by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Ovie- Omo-Agege, against the election of the governor

The court in the lead judgment delivered by Justice John Okoro held that Omo-Agege, a former Deputy Senate President, failed woefully to establish that the election was invalid for alleged corrupt malpractices.

Okoro said that none of the allegations against the March 18, 2023, was established as required by law.

While Oborevwori scored 360,234 votes to win the governorship election, his closest rival, Omo-Agege of the APC, polled 240,229 votes.

The supreme court rejected the plea by Omo-Agege that the election be nullified on the allegations that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

Okoro also rejected the claim that the results of the governorship election were not properly recorded in some polling units and the allegations that the forms that contained some of the recorded results did not have serial numbers.

While affirming Oborevwori as the lawfully elected governor for Delta, the apex court affirmed the judgments of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal which had earlier dismissed Omo-Agege’s petition for want of merit.

In addition, the Supreme Court on Friday also affirmed the election of Mohammed Yahaya as the duly elected governor of Gombe State.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun Who affirmed Yahaya as governor dismissed the appeal against his victory brought to it by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s candidate.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had in November last year affirmed the election of Muhammad Yahaya as Governor of Gombe State.

The appellate court had affirmed Yahaya’s election shortly after dismissing two separate appeals challenging his declaration as winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Delivering the lead judgment in the appeal marked: CA/G/EP/GOV/GM/11/2023 and filed by the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Jibrin Mohammed Barde, the presiding Justice, Theresa Orji-Abadua held that the appeal was without merit and subsequently dismissed it.

According to judgment, the petitioners at the lower tribunal, failed to prove their allegations of non-qualification, perjury and certificate forgery raised in the petition.

After dismissing the appeal, the panel subsequently affirmed the judgment of the trial tribunal which had upheld the declaration of Yahaya as governor.

In the other judgment delivered by Justice Folasade Ojo, the appellate court also dismissed the appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Nafiu Bala.

Ojo held that the appeal was without merit and affirmed the judgment of the tribunal.