The Supreme Court has affirmed the electoral victories of Governors Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Kefas Agbu of Taraba State and Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State.
In separate judgements, the apex court dismissed the different appeals for lacking in merit.
LEADERSHIP Friday recalls that the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos had on November 28, 2023, affirmed the election of Fubara as the governor of Rivers State.
The court had dismissed the petition filed by candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Patrick Tonye-Cole, against Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the case of Taraba State, the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by Prof. Yahaya Sani of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), for grossly lacking in merit.
Prof. Sani had prayed the apex court to set aside the victory of Governor Kefas Agbu in the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
He had alleged noncompliance with the Electoral Act, irregularities and other malpractices, but the appellate court dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
Similarly, the Supreme Court validated the election of Ahmad Aliyu as governor of Sokoto State.
Aliyu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared winner of the governorship election with 453,661 votes to defeat Sai’du Umar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who secured 404,632 votes.
But Umar alleged that the governor and his deputy Idris Gobir forged the certificates they presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The petitioners also alleged electoral fraud during the poll.
The tribunal in its judgement said the petitioners were unable to prove the six grounds contained in their petition.
