Tribunal Verdict: Gov Sule Files Notice Of Appeal

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has approached the Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal challenging the nullification of his reelection by the governorship election petition tribunal.

Governor Sule filed the notice of appeal through his lead Counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN on Sunday, October 15.

The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, had in a split judgement, recently declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, David Ombugadu, as the lawful winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

A dissenting ruling by one of the three judges however, upheld the election of Governor Sule.

Governor Sule rejected the majority judgement read by the tribunal chairman, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, describing its position as unmeritorious and devoid of evidential support base or pillars, even as he vowed to appeal the decision.

Sule in the Notice of Appeal obtained by LEADERSHIP in Lafia yesterday listed 27 grounds of appeals for determination by the appellate court.

Among others, he questioned the trial tribunal jurisdictional competence to order the immediate swearing in Ombugadu as the governor, pointing out that not being the final court, the tribunal lacks the requisite competence to do so.

He also averred that the majority decision of the lower tribunal in declaring the return of PDP’s Ombugadu failed to be bound by the provisions of Section 179 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as Amended and Section 66 of the Electoral Act 2022.

He equally argued that there was no evidence before the tribunal demonstrating the percentage of votes scored by Ombugadu vis a vis the total votes cast in two-third of the 13 local government areas the state to satisfy the provisions of Section 179(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Sule, therefore, urged the Appellate Court to set aside the decision of the lower court and affirm his election victory as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Joined in the appeal are Ombugadu, the PDP, INEC and the APC as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.