Supreme Court to deliver judgments on Taraba, Rivers, Ogun, Nasarawa governorship tomorrow

The Supreme Court will tomorrow (Friday), deliver its verdict on the appeals challenging the outcome of the governorship elections in Taraba, Rivers, Ogun, and Nasarawa states.

The apex court had earlier reserved its judgment on the appeals after hearing the arguments of the parties involved.

In Taraba State, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its candidate, Prof. Sani Yahaya, are seeking to overturn the victory of Governor Agbu Kefas of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleging non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, over voting, mutilation of result sheets and violence in some polling units.

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal had both dismissed the petition of the NNPP and affirmed the election of Kefas as the duly elected governor of Taraba State.

In Rivers State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Tonye Cole, is challenging the declaration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the PDP as the winner of the March 18, 2023 election.

Cole had alleged that Fubara did not validly resign his previous position as the Accountant-General of Rivers State before the election, and that he continued to sign documents as such even after he was nominated as the PDP candidate.

He also alleged that the election was marred by corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.

The APC had withdrawn from the case against Fubara at the tribunal, but Cole vowed to pursue his petition to the end.

The tribunal and the appellate court had both dismissed Cole’s case for lack of merit and upheld the election of Fubara as the governor of Rivers State.

In Ogun State, the PDP candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, is contesting the return of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the APC by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Adebutu had accused Abiodun of falsifying his West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate, being convicted by a United States of America court, and engaging in vote buying with pre-loaded ATM cards.

He also alleged that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.

The tribunal and the appellate court had both dismissed Adebutu’s petition and upheld the election of Abiodun as the governor of Ogun State.

In Nasarawa State, the PDP candidate, Mr. David Ombugadu, is challenging the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the APC.

Ombugadu had alleged that Sule was not qualified to contest the election, having been indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for corruption.

He also alleged that the election was fraught with irregularities, malpractices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had nullified the election of Sule and declared Ombugadu as the winner on October 2, 2023.

However, the tribunal’s judgment was reversed by the Court of Appeal on November 23, 2023, which affirmed Sule’s re-election as the Nasarawa State governor.