FULL LIST: Abba Yusuf, Caleb Mutfwang, 10 Governors Supreme Court Affirmed Their Election Victories
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria
FCT, Abuja - Several post-election litigations followed the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC's) conduct of the 2023 governorship poll in Nigeria.
Aggrieved candidates and political parties that contested in the March 2023 elections approached the courts to challenge the outcome of the polls and seek legal remedies.
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As of Saturday, January 13, 2024, 10 governors have triumphed at the Supreme Court, which is the final arbiter of law.
Below are the governors whose fate have been decided by the Supreme Court:
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1) Hyacinth Alia (Benue state)
Earlier in January, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the Benue governorship election, Titus Uba.
The court upheld the election of the Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia. Alia is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
2) Alex Otti (Abia state)
On Friday, January 12, the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Otti as the governor of Abia state.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji who read the lead judgement, held that the appellants failed to prove substantial non-compliance in their appeal.
3) Dauda Lawal (Zamfara state)
The Supreme Court on Friday, January 12, 2024, affirmed Governor Lawal's election.
The apex court set aside the appellant’s verdict which seemingly sacked Lawal in November 2023.
4) Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos)
Also on Friday, January 12, the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as elected governor of Lagos state.
Justice Garba Lawal who read the lead judgment dismissed the appeal filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP).
Also, the court quashed the appeal by the candidate of the PDP, Azeez Adediran (Jandor), in which he had sought to remove Governor Sanwo-Olu.
5) Bala Mohammed (Bauchi)
The Supreme Court declared Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi as the validly elected governor of the state.
The apex court dismissed the appeal filed by the APC governorship candidate, Saddique Abubakar, challenging Mohammed’s election and declaration by the INEC as the validly elected governor of Bauchi state.
6) Bassey Otu (Cross River)
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River secured a major victory in the suit seeking to sack him as governor of the south-south state.
In a judgement on Friday, January 12, the Supreme Court dismissed the PDP's appeal.
7) Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi state)
The Supreme Court, on Friday, January 12, affirmed the election victory of Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state.
The court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, dismissed two separate appeals that sought to sack Nwifuru of the APC from office.
It held that the appeals were “patently unmeritorious.”
8) Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano state)
The Supreme Court on Friday, January 12, dismissed the verdict of the Court of Appeal that sacked Governor Yusuf of Kano state.
Justice John Okoro-led five-member panel of the apex court faulted the decision of the appellate court to deduct 165,616 votes from the votes of the Kano governor in the March 18, 2023, governorship election.
9) Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom)
The Supreme Court on Thursday, January 11, dismissed three separate appeals brought before it by some governorship candidates seeking nullification of the election of Akwa Ibom state Governor, Umo Eno, on account of alleged certificate forgery.
The petitions of the APC, the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) were all dismissed by the court in a judgement delivered by a member of the court’s panel, Uwani Abba-Aji.
10) Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau state)
In one of the several judgements given on Friday, January 12, 2024, the Supreme Court delivered its much-anticipated judgment on the Plateau state governorship election dispute.
The apex court affirmed Caleb Mutfwang's election, further confirming that he is the duly elected governor of Plateau state.
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Source: Legit.ng
