The Supreme Court, on Friday, declared Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Nasarawa State.
The court gave the verdict after dismissing the appeal challenging Sule’s victory at the March 18 governorship election.
In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the apex court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, held that the appeal against Sule lacked merit.
The court dismissed, thereafter, dismissed the appeal by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State, Emmanuel David Ombugadu, to overturn Governor Sule’s election.
Justice Kekere-Ekun ruled that the appellant failed to provide sufficient evidence of over-voting and noncompliance with electoral laws.
Nasarawa Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had nullified Governor Sule’s election and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to the PDP candidate.
The tribunal held that it was satisfied that Governor Sule was a beneficiary of over-voting that occurred in several polling units in the state.
However, following an appeal that was lodged by the governor and his party, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on November 23, reversed his sack and vacated the decision of the tribunal.
The appellate court held that the tribunal erred in law when it concluded that Governor Sule did not win the majority of lawful votes that were cast in the election.
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