It was a gale of affirmations and dismissals as Nigeria’s apex court, the Supreme Court, made final rulings on some pending electoral cases on Friday.
Prominent among which is the court’s affirmation of the elections of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Gov. Abba Yusuf as Governor of Kano State; Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Peoples Democratic Party as duly elected Plateau State Governor and the reversal of the decisions of the Court of Appeal in the cases of Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State (PDP).
Similarly, the elections of Alex Otti of Abia State and Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State were ruled in favour of the Labour Party and PDP respectively.
On the day, the court ruled in favour of APC in three cases, including Lagos, Ebonyi and Cross River States. For Lagos State, the court affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and did the same for Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, and Bassey Otu of Cross River State.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has hailed the verdicts of the Supreme Court on the governorship election petitions.
The party, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Felix Morka, on Friday, said it accepted the decisions of the court on the cases.
The APC said, “While the Apex Court’s decisions will undoubtedly elicit mixed reactions and reviews, the decisions are final and binding on all parties to the legal contests. The decisions today provide a strong affirmation of the authority, vibrancy and independence of the Judiciary.”
Meanwhile, NNPP’s National Secretary, Dipo Olayoku, has described the Supreme Court judgement affirming the election of Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State as the restoration of hope for the people of the state.
Olayoku in an interview on Friday in Abuja said the judgement was also a confirmation of victory God gave NNPP on March 18, 2023.
Speaking further, he said “The party is just appealing to politicians to try to win election through the ballot boxes and not through the back door. I think the Supreme Court has deflated that and we want the other arms of judiciary to also stand up to the truth.”
The opposition The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also congratulated the Governor of Bauchi State and Chairman of PDP Governor’s Forum, Sen. Bala Mohammed, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed Governors Caleb Mutfwang Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State and Dauda Lawal Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State over the judgments of the Supreme Court which affirmed their victories in the March 18, 2023 governorship election in their respective States.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba describes the affirmation by the Supreme Court as resounding victory for Democracy and ultimate triumph of the expressed Will of the people of Bauchi, Plateau and Zamfara States in their quest for purposeful leadership and good governance under the banner of the PDP.
“The reverberating jubilation across Bauchi, Plateau, Zamfara and other States of the federation is a testimony that the judgments are in line with the expectation of Nigerians in their pursuit of justice, Rule of Law and deepening of Constitutional Democracy in our country,” the party stated.