It was a win-win for the two leading political parties in the country – All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party- as their candidates emerged victorious in the series of judgements delivered by the Supreme Court today on Governorship elections.
The first Victor today was the governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, whose election was upheld by the Apex Court. Makinde’s seat has been under intense fear following the ambiguous court of appeal judgement of October.
Candidate of the APC, Bayo Adelabu and his party prayed the court to nullify the process citing a series of irregularities in the conduct of the election and compilation of the results across polling units across the 33 local government areas of the State.
The panel of justices led by Justice Mary Odili while delivering their unanimous judgement described the petition as watery owing to the inability of the petitioner’s counsels to establish their claims.
The jurists therefore struck the case and affirmed the election of Makinde as pronounced by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC.
In another judgement also delivered by Justice Odili, the court affirmed the victory of Mr Udom Emmanuel of the PDP as the duly elected governor of Akwa Ibom state.
The Apex Court dismissed the appeal by filed APC candidate, Nsima Ekere stating that the “appeal lacks merit and its accordingly dismissed.”
Lagos state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu also emerged victorious at the Supreme Court as seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili dismissed two separate appeals challenging the outcome of the poll.
The judgment applies to the remaining the other appeal emanating from the election.
In El-Rufai’s case, the judgment waa delivered by Justice Centus Nweze, the appeal filed by Mr Isa Ashiru of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the election is lacking in merit and it is therefore dismissed.
