The Supreme Court will today (Friday) deliver judgment in the appeals challenging the governors of Nasarawa, Gombe and Rivers over the March 18, 2023 governorship elections in the states.
The judgments will decide the fate of Governors Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe) and Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers).
A five-member panel of justices presided by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun had already taken the arguments of lawyers involved in the appeals.
The Nasarawa appeal was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, David Ombugadu against Governor Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the outcome of the March 18 governorship election.
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At Tuesday’s proceedings, lead counsel to PDP and its governorship candidate, Kanu Agabi (SAN), appealed to the apex court to set aside the November 23 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld Sule as the lawfully elected governor.
Agabi pleaded that the October 2, 2023 judgment of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal granted in favour of PDP and Ombugadu be restored.
However, lawyers to the governor, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal for want of merit.
The APC lead counsel, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), while adopting his brief of arguments, asked the apex court to carefully look into the cited authorities to back up their request for dismissal of the case.
While upturning the tribunal verdict, the appellate court held that the witness statements establishing PDP’s victory were not front-loaded within 21 days as stipulated by law.
For the Gombe appeal, the panel earlier reserved the judgment after dismissing the appeal by the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s Nafiu Bala, against the election of Yahaya as governor of Gombe State.
The Rivers appeal is a unilateral appeal brought by the APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, contending that the election was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
In another development, the apex court has reserved for judgment the Kaduna State appeal filed by the PDP and its candidate, Mohammed Ashiru Isa.
They are contending that the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
They alleged that Uba was not duly elected by a majority of valid votes cast in the election, adding that some polling unit results were wrongfully cancelled, as well as inconsistencies in accreditation records from INEC.
However, Governor Sani and the APC asked the appellate court to dismiss the appeal for want of merit.
Nasarawa women group protest in Abuja
In the meantime, as the apex court deliver its judgment on the Nasarawa state governorship dispute today, some women from the state yesterday appealed to the apex court to remain independent of external pressures and influence while delivering its judgements.
The group of women, representing various organisations and civil society groups, made this demand as they staged a protest where they raised placards with inscriptions such as “Justice Uninfluenced is Justice Served” and “Supreme Court of Justice is our hope of survival. Save us!” at the Unity Fountain on Thursday in Abuja.
One of the coordinators, Evangelist Lydia Cletus, who spoke on behalf of the women, maintained that the people of Nasarawa State came out en masse to cast their vote for their preferred candidate, adding that any judgement away from whom they’ve voted will not be accepted.
She urged the judiciary never to be blackmailed by the use of religion, stressing the need for fairness and justice.
She said, “Our mandate was stolen from us, and we refused to let it go unchallenged. We call on the Nigerian people to examine the evidence and see why we are so steadfast in our demand for justice. The reports from INEC clearly show why we cannot compromise or back down.
“It is time for the Supreme Court to show that it is truly the last hope of the common man. We urge the judges to resist any form of external pressure and to make their decision based on the merits of our case.”
Daily Trust reports that leaders of both the APC and PDP in the state earlier in the week signed a peace agreement with the police to ensure that they prevail on their members to ensure that there will not be breakdown of law and order after the apex court’s judgment.
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