Sule Vs Ombugadu: Appeal Court Reserves Judgment
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgement to a later date on the appeal filed by the Nasarawa State Governor Engr Abdullahi Sule against Dr. David Emmanuel Ombugadu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over his declaration as the winner of the Governorship election by the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
When the case came up, the counsel to the appellant, Wole Olanikpekun SAN while adopting his five grounds of appeal, argued that the Governorship election tribunal was unfair to Governor Abdullahi Sule in its judgment as the BVAS brought before the tribunal was not considered.
In his argument, counsel to Doctor Emmanuel David Ombugadu urged the court to rely on his adopted brief of argument and tribunal judgment to dismiss the appeal and affirm the candidature of his client as the true winner of the poll.
The three man panel of Justices led by Justice U Onyemenam after listening to all the arguments by counsels in the matter, ruled that the date for the judgment would be communicated to all the parties.
On the cross appeal filed by the PDP governorship candidate Emmanuel Ombugadu challenging the minority judgment delivered by one of the judges in the governorship election petition tribunal, Justice Onyemenam also reserved judgment to a later date to be communicated to all the parties.
Justice Onyemenam had earlier reserved judgment to a later date on a motion filed by counsel to Doctor Emmanuel Ombugadu seeking the court to strike out the appellant affidavit seeking to present additional facts before the court describing it as incompetent.
The governorship election petition tribunal had nullified the election of governor Abdullahi Sule affirming Emmanuel Ombugadu as the winner of the election.
Not satisfied with the judgment, governor Abdullahi Sule approached the court of appeal to reclaim his victory.
