Nasarawa State 2023 Governorship Legal Tussle Comes To An End As Supreme Court Affirm Governor Sule Winner
The Supreme Court on Friday (January 19, 2024), upheld the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State effectively bringing to an end the legal tussle that has ensued since result of the March 18 2023 governorship election was declared.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, dismissed the appeal filed by David Emmanuel Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging Governor Sule’s victory.
In the judgment, the jurist said, “The issues in this appeal are resolved against the appellant. The appeal lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed.”
She affirmed the position of the Court of Appeal in Abuja to “set aside the decision of the tribunal” which had declared Hon. Ombugadu the winner of the poll.
Another member of the panel of justices, Tijani Abubakar while contributing to the lead judgment, described PDP’s appeal as “frivolous, vexatious and lacking in merit. It is hereby dismissed”.
Recall that the Court of Appeal had, on November 23, 2023, reversed the decision of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sat in Lafia, the state capital.
In its ruling, the appellate court said the tribunal was wrong to have concluded that Governor Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not win the majority of lawful votes cast at the polls.
