Governors Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Abdulahi Sule of Nasarawa, Ogun’s Dapo Abiodun, Kaduna’s Uba Sani, and Nasir Idris of Kebbi State have cause to smile as the Supreme Court ruled they were validly-elected in the March 18, 2024 governorship election.
It was also a measure of relief for the Court of Appeal, which did not have its integrity questioned as was done in Plateau, Zamfara last week.
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the lead judgement, held that the verdict of the court of appeal, which affirmed Sule’s election, was “comprehensive and well considered”.
Consequently, all five-member panel of the apex court dismissed the appeals filed by David Ombugadu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections.
In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Sule as winner of the election with 347,209 votes.
Ombugadu polled 283,016 votes behind Sule.
However, the PDP candidate had expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the governorship election, citing alleged irregularities.
In October 2023, the election petition tribunal in Lafia nullified Sule’s victory and declared Ombugadu as winner of the poll.
Consequently, Sule and the APC sought to overturn the verdict of the tribunal.
In November 2023, the court of appeal faulted the verdict of the tribunal and affirmed Sule’s election as governor.
The court also dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Gombe State Jibrin Barde challenging the election of Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.
In a judgment by a panel of justices, the apex court held that the appeal lacked merit and was unnecessary.
For Kaduna, the apex court affirmed the election of Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State.
Delivering judgment, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, dismissed the appeal against the governor by the PDP and it’s candidate, Ashiru Isa.