The Supreme Court has affirmed the elections of Governors Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto) and Kefas Agbu (Taraba).
The apex court, in a unanimous verdict of the five-member panel of justices read by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa on Thursday, dismissed the appeal by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, for lack of merit.
It upheld the judgments of the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Lagos in dismissing Cole’s contention that Fubara failed to resign from his position as the Accountant General of Rivers State 30 days before vying for political office, which violated the law.
On the Taraba appeal, the verdict of the apex court panel, which was read by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, also dismissed the appeal by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its governorship candidate, Yahaya Sani, for filing incomplete record of appeal.
The panel upheld the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lagos that the appeal was incompetent and failed to prove the allegations of non-compliance, irregularities and other malpractices during the election.
On the Sokoto appeal, which lead judgement was read by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the panel dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Saidu Umar.
It upheld the verdict of the Court of Appeal in Abuja that the PDP failed to establish their allegations of widespread irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
Fubara ‘loyalists’ remanded over burning of Assembly complex
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded five people suspected to have participated in the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.
Justice Bolaji Olajuwon on Thursday said the five suspects will remain at the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kuje, until February 2 when the court will rule on their bail applications.
