…as apex court also affirms Abiodun, Sani, 3 others
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has expressed appreciation to God and Deltans for his victory at the Supreme Court.
Oborevwori, who said God ordained him to be governor, noted that he survived 38 cases in various courts up to the Supreme Court from pre-election to post-election to become governor of Delta State.
This is coming after the Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the victory of six state governors in the 18 March 2023 governorship election, including Oborevwori. The others are the governors of Ogun, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Gombe and Kebbi States.
The governors all welcomed the Supreme Court judgement that affirmed their election victory, describing it as victory for democracy and dedicating the victory to God and the people of their states for giving them their mandate.
In the case of Governor Oborevwori, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel affirmed his victory as the governor of Delta State and dismissed an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election held in the state on March 18, 2023.
The apex court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, held that the appeal lacked merit.
It held that the APC and its candidate did not prove that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2023.
The court dismissed Omo-Agege’s contention that some of the result sheets that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) relied upon to declare Oborevwori as the winner of the election did not have serial numbers.
According to the court, even if the total number of INEC forms that the appellants complained about were removed, it would still not affect the margin of lead that was in Oborevwori’s favour.
The apex court also held that the appellants failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law to warrant the setting aside of both the Court of Appeal judgement and the verdict of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal. Consequently, it dismissed the petition without cost.
Dapo Abiodun (Ogun)
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, dismissed as lacking in merit an appeal the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship poll held in the state on March 18, 2023.
In its lead judgement that was prepared by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the apex court said it found no reason to nullify the election victory of Governor Abiodun, who was the candidate of the APC.
The apex court upheld the earlier verdict of the Court of Appeal, which on November 22, 2023 dismissed the case the PDP and its candidate raised against the election.
“This appeal is unmeritorious, and it is accordingly dismissed,” the court held.
It would be recalled that INEC had declared that Governor Abiodun polled a total of 276,298 votes to defeat his closest rival, Adebutu of the PDP, who garnered a total of 262,383 votes.
Uba Sani (Kaduna)
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that the appeal by Isah Ashiru of the PDP lacked merit and therefore affirmed Governor Uba Sani’s election victory.
“The appellant’s case is frivolous, vexatious and irritating. It is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit,” said Tijjani Abubakar, a member of the Supreme Court panel, in the lead judgement.
Citing relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, Justice Abubakar said the appellant failed to comply with the law regarding the filing of pre-hearing notice at the tribunal.
Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa)
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, upheld the declaration of Abdullahi Sule of the APC as winner of the governorship election held in the state on March 18, 2023.
In its lead judgement delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the Supreme Court dismissed as lacking in merit the appeal filed by the PDP and its candidate, David Ombugadu.
The Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had, in a two-to-one split judgement on October 2, 2023, nullified Governor Sule’s election and ordered INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to the PDP candidate. The tribunal had held that it was satisfied that Governor Sule was a beneficiary of over-voting that occurred in several polling units in the state.
However, following an appeal that was lodged by the governor and his party, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on November 23 reversed his sack and vacated the decision of the tribunal.
The appellate court held that the tribunal erred in law when it concluded that Governor Sule did not win the majority of lawful votes that were cast in the election.
However, dissatisfied with the judgement of the appellate court, the PDP and its candidate approached the Supreme Court, where they lost their case on Friday.
Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe)
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that the appeal by Jibrin Barde, candidate of the PDP, lacked merit.
Affirming the verdict of the Court of Appeal which upheld Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s victory, Kekere-Ekun held that the concurrent findings were not shown to be perverse enough to warrant being set aside.
Yahaya was declared winner of the March 18 governorship election in Gombe State after he scored 342,821 votes to defeat his closest rival, Barde, who polled 233,131 votes.
Displeased with the INEC declaration, the PDP and its candidate filed a petition claiming that Yahaya, who contested on the platform of the APC, was not re-elected by a majority of lawful votes.
The opposition party alleged cases of ballot box stuffing and thumb-printing done by Yahaya’s supporters in nine of the state’s 11 LGAs.
The Gombe State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal dismissed the suit filed by PDP and Barde.
Not satisfied with the tribunal’s verdict, Barde and PDP approached the appeal court, whiich equally dismissed the appeal.
Nasir Idris (Kebbi)
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, dismissed as lacking in merit an appeal filed by the PDP and its candidate, Aminu Bande, challenging the election victory of Governor Nasir Idris.
In the lead judgement delivered by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the Supreme Court held that it found no reason to set aside the concurrent verdicts of the Court of Appeal and the Kebbi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which declared Idris of the APC as the valid winner of the gubernatorial poll held in the state on March 18, 2023.
INEC had declared the Kebbi State governorship election inconclusive owing to massive vote cancellations and over-voting in 20 of the 21 LGAs in the state. The Commission subsequently conducted a supplementary election on April 15, at the end of which it declared that Governor Idris of the APC polled 409,225 votes to beat Bande of the PDP who got 360,940 votes.
However, dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal to challenge the result.
In its judgement, the Justice Ofem Ofem-led tribunal dismissed the petition as lacking in merit. The decision of the tribunal was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, which held that the appellants failed to establish all the allegations they raised in their petition.
The Appeal Court stressed that the allegation of forgery levelled against the Deputy Governor of the State, Abubakar Tafida, was not proved as required by the law. It further held that the issues of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in the conduct of the election could not stand since the appellants failed to show how it substantially affected the outcome of the poll.
Oborevwori reacts to victory
Speaking at a thanksgiving service at the Government House Chapel Asaba, the governor, who was joined by his wife, Deaconess Tobore, his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme and wife, Catherine, immediate past governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and wife, Dame Edith, stressed that God ordained him to be governor and thanked Deltans for supporting his ambition.
“I came to this altar before I went to Abuja for this last judgement and I said God is not a man that he should lie. I have promised God that every time He gives me victory I must come here to thank Him,” Oborevwori said.
“I have done it several times and I said I will also return the same day of the victory to thank God. For the Lord has redeemed me.
“This victory is not about me but about the people of Delta state. The immediate past governor said that somebody that would not recognise this altar will never be governor; God has honoured that word.
“This case made it 38 cases for me from pre-election matters to this one. Even the governors who have done eight years did not go through such number of cases,” he said.
The governor, who was earlier welcomed from Abuja by a mammoth crowd at the Asaba International Airport, said he was happy that the litigations were over, assuring that he would now concentrate in delivering on his MORE Agenda for the people.
“I was overwhelmed by the crowd and the show of love at the airport. I want to reassure Deltans that my Deputy Governor and I will continue to serve you. This victory is for our people to know that our God is faithful and He alone has delivered us.
“I call on my opponents to partner with us to move Delta state forward. This victory is for everyone and like I promised Deltans, I will be the governor for all Deltans,” he said.
Jubilation, protest in Nasarawa
Meanwhile, jubilation and protest erupted in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, following the judgement of the Supreme Court that upheld the election victory Governor Abdullahi Sule.
The news of the court’s decision triggered celebrations in parts of the state capital. APC supporters took to the streets, waving party flags in locations such as Limawa, Rimi Uku, Main Round About, Makurdi Road, and Shendam Road.
The leader of one of the jubilant groups, Ayuba Amos, praised the Supreme Court for affirming “the will of the people” through its verdict.
“Now is the real time to celebrate, and that’s why we are out on the streets. We had to wait until the highest court in the land affirmed the mandate the people of the state freely gave Governor A. A. Sule. We are not like some who rolled out drums early in the day and then resorted to blackmail to force the judiciary to dance to their tune,” he stated.
In the same vein, there were protests in some parts of Lafia as some residents took to the streets to protest against the Supreme Court judgement.
PDP supporters blocked the Lafia-Jos Expressway around the party’s secretariat, extending up to the GLO office and close to Sandaji Filling Station. Reports say the protesters, mainly women and youths dressed in all-black attire, prompted motorists to seek alternative routes out of the city. It was learnt that shops, business centres and schools within the area were hurriedly closed to protect lives and property.
However, law enforcement intervened later, with a team of policemen led by the Commissioner of Police dispersing the protesters and restoring order.
