List of APC, PDP, NNPP Governors Supreme Court Will Determine Their Fates in 2024

Nigeria had heated political battles in 2023, with legal contests taking the heels of the general elections. Some legal battles have been solved, while others are yet to be solved and will be determined by the Supreme Court.

Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.

Among the cases to watch out for at the Supreme Court in 2024 are four governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Many Nigerians are waiting and eager to see the end of their legal battles at the Supreme Court. Below are the governors:

Abba Kabir Yusuf

The NNPP Kano state governor was first sacked by the tribunal sitting in the state on September 20, 2023, after the trial court declared 165,663 of his votes invalid. The court subsequently declared Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the APC as the authentic winner of the poll.

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Governor Yusuf then appealed his sacking at the Court of Appeal, but the lower court again sacked him on the ground that he was not a member of the NNPP as of the time he contested on the party's platform.

The embattled NNPP governor had filed an appeal before the Supreme Court, and his fate would be determined soon after the apex court had reserved its judgment.

Caleb Mutfwang

The PDP governor of Plateau state was one of the governors whose fate would be determined by the Supreme Court in 2024.

Mutfwang had earlier secured victory at the tribunal. The APC and its candidate, Nentawe Goshwe, had challenged the victory of Mutfwang in the state's March 18 governorship election on the grounds that he was not validly nominated and sponsored by the PDP.

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The APC and Goshwe also argued that there was non-compliance with the electoral law in the election that produced Mutfwang as governor.

However, The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja sacked Governor Mutfwang, saying the case Goshwe and the APC filed was valid because the qualification issue was a pre and post-election matter under Section 177(c) of the Nigerian Constitution and Sections 80 and 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Mutfwang was not satisfied with the judgment and approached the Supreme Court on eight grounds of appeal, stating why the apex court should validate his election.

In his argument, the issue of nomination and sponsorship, which formed the background of the APC argument, was not only a pre-election matter but within the internal affairs of the PDP. Therefore, the APC and Goshwe lacked the locus standi to file against it.

Abdullahi Sule

The APC governor of Nasarawa state was the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the north-central state, but David Ombugadu of the PDP challenged the outcome of the poll on the grounds that he won the majority of votes in the election.

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In October 2023, the trial court sacked Governor Sule and declared Ombugadu of the PDP the poll winner. The tribunal said the votes were manipulated in favour of Governor Yusuf.

However, the embattled governor was lucky at the Court of Appeal as the court reversed his sacking on Thursday, November 23.

The PDP and Ombugadu have headed to the Supreme Court for redress, and the outcome of the judgment was one many are waiting to hear.

Dauda Lawal

The PDP governor of Zamfara state defeated the incumbent governor of the APC, Bello Matawalle, in the March 18 governorship election in the state. However, Matawalle, now a minister under President Bol Tinubu, approached the tribunal to challenge Lawal's victory.

The trial court ruled in favour of Lawal, but Matawalle and the APC approached the Court of Appeal, where Lawal was sacked. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was ordered to conduct a fresh election in Maradun Local Government in four Birnin Magaji Local Government wards and some Bukkuyum Local Government polling units.

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However, the PDP and Governor Lawal appealed the judgment, hoping the apex court would favour them in 2024.

Plateau: Mutfwang asks Supreme Court to void ruling sacking him sack as governor

Legit.ng earlier reported that Plateau state governor Caleb Mutfwang has told the Supreme Court to authenticate his election and declare him the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Governor Mutfwang, in his appeal, said the argument of the APC and its candidate was a pre-election matter and within the scope of the PDP; thus, the APC lacked the locus standi to challenge.

The Court of Appeal has sacked Governor Mutfwang of the PDP on the grounds that the issue of nomination and sponsorship was a pre and post-election matter.

Source: Legit.ng