Victorious Governors Extend Hands Of Fellowship To Challengers After S’Court Verdicts
The governors of Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Zamfara states have waved the olive branch at their challengers and asked them to join them in moving the respective states forward following the affirmation of their elections by the Supreme Court on Friday.
The apex court held that Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Abba Yusuf, Bala Mohammed, Caleb Mutfwang, Alex Otti, Umo Eno, Bassey Otu and Dauda Lawal were the validly elected governors of their respective states, thereby putting to an end the controversies surrounding the 2023 governorship poll.
The Supreme Court set aside the lower courts’ decisions sacking the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.
The governorship petition tribunal had set aside the victory of Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party by declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid. The tribunal held that the deducted votes were from ballot papers that were neither stamped nor signed.
He then approached the Court of Appeal for redress, but the appellate court upheld the tribunal’s decision and said the governor was not properly sponsored by the NNPP, thus violating the provisions of Section 177 (c) of the Constitution.
The Court of Appeal subsequently declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress winner of the election.
At the Supreme Court, Justice John Okoro ordered that all the ballot papers from which the appellant’s votes were deducted should be restored to the governor.
He said the papers contained the logo of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the coat of arms as prescribed by the Electoral Act.
Justice Okoro also held that contrary to the position of the lower courts, a total of 146,292 of the ballot papers were confirmed to have been signed and stamped, only that they did not have any date.
“There is no proof that the said ballot papers were not the ones used for the election. Thus the decision of the Court of Appeal affirming the decision of the tribunal ought to be set aside,” he added.
He also held that the issue of party membership was an internal affair of political parties.
Justice Okoro stated that Section 177 (c) of the Constitution was to prevent independent candidature, adding, “The issue of nomination is exclusively the internal affairs of a political party. Therefore, it is not justiceable.
“The issue is also statute-barred. It is a pre-election contestable by co-aspirants. It is not within the right of the first respondent to question the appellant’s membership. The party did not deny sponsoring him.”
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, while he is presently on his M.Sc programme also in Mass Communication, at National Open University of Nigeria.
He was the NUJ Chairman, Enugu state who handed over to the Caretaker Committee currently in the Council.
samowailo@gmail.com
