The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Kogi State, Musa Wada, challenging the victory of the State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The apex court disagreed with the appeal filed on five grounds by Wada against Bello’s victory.
In his appeal, Wada had claimed that the November 16, 2019, governorship election in the state, was riddled with serious electoral infractions; rigging and over-voting.
The former PDP governorship candidate also claimed that Bello didn’t secure the highest vote.
However, the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, other members of the panel like Justices Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Inyang Okoro, Amina Augie, and Uwani Abba-Aji dismissed the appeal.
Supreme Court rejects prayer by SDP, Akpoti to unseat Gov Bello
The Supreme Court has rejected the request by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti for nullification of the election of Governor Yahaya Bello.
In a judgment on Monday, a seven-man panel of the court, led by the Chef Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, was unanimous in dismissing the appeal by the SDP and Akpoti, for lacking in merit.
In the lead judgment authored and delivered by Justice Uwani Abba Aji, the Court said it was unnecessary for to disturb the concurrent decisions of the tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which upheld Bello’s victory at election held on November 16, 2019.
The court held that the SDP and Akpoti failed to lead credible and substantial evidence to support their claims.
The Supreme Court had, in an earlier judgment on Monday, dismissed the appeal by the PDP and its candidate, Musa Wada on similar grounds.
