January 12, 2024

Breaking: Supreme Court upholds election of Gov Bala Mohammed of Bauchi
While dismissing the appeal on Friday for want of merit, the Supreme Court , in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Inyang Okoro, said it found no reason to dislodge the judgements of the lower courts.

The apex court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, dismissed an appeal the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Sadique Abubakar, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election that was held in the state on March 18, 2023.

Abubakar and his party had contended that Governor Mohammed, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was not the valid winner of the gubernatorial contest.

They alleged that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, insisting that several electoral documents that were used during the poll were not properly filled.

However, both the Bauchi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Jos dismissed Abubakar’s case and upheld Governor Mohammed’s election victory.

Dissatisfied with the concurrent verdicts of the two lower courts, the APC candidate lodged an appeal before the Supreme Court, contending that his case vis-à-vis the exhibits that were tendered in evidence by the parties was not properly evaluated by the tribunal.

While dismissing the appeal on Friday for want of merit, the apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Inyang Okoro, said it found no reason to dislodge the judgements of the lower courts.

Similarly, the Supreme Court also affirmed the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.

The appeals were brought before the court by candidates of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abdulazeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor.

Specifically, the LP and its candidate, Rhodes-Vivour, had prayed to the court to determine whether Sanwo-Olu, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was qualified to contest the election, considering that his deputy and running mate, Obafemi Hamzat, has dual citizenship.

The appellants alleged that the Lagos State deputy governor took the citizenship of the United States of America, USA.

They argued that since the deputy governor, by his action, was constitutionally ineligible to contest the election, it invalidated Sanwo-Olu’s candidature at the election.

However, both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, as well as the APC, urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal for lack of competence.

The respondents stressed that both the Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal had unanimously dismissed the allegation and LP’s petition against the outcome of the gubernatorial contest.