Supreme Court Reserves Judgement in Adamawa Governorship Election Appeal

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has deferred its judgement on the appeal brought by Aisha Dahiru, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Adamawa State governorship, challenging the re-election of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri. The five-member panel, led by John Okoro, reserved its judgement after hearing arguments from all parties involved.

Akin Olujimi, representing Ms Dahiru, urged the court to uphold the declaration made by Hudu Yunusa, an INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), citing his official capacity within the electoral body as per section 149 of the Electoral Act.

Previously, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had upheld Governor Fintiri’s election victory, dismissing Ms Dahiru’s case. The three-member panel of the appellate court affirmed the decision of the Adamawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which declared Mr. Fintiri the winner of the March 18, 2023, poll.

Ms. Dahiru and the APC had sought Mr. Fintiri’s removal due to alleged non-compliance by INEC with the Electoral Act 2022. However, the appellate court ruled that the appellant failed to substantiate claims of electoral fraud in 14,104 polling stations and noted that the witnesses presented were not at the polling units but were campaign coordinators for the appellant.

The court further highlighted that the record of proceedings from the tribunal and the briefs submitted to the court were incomplete. Consequently, the appeal was deemed lacking in merit and was dismissed. Additionally, the court awarded N1 million against the petitioners in favor of Governor Fintiri and the PDP.

The Supreme Court’s pending judgement has heightened anticipation as the legal battle over the Adamawa governorship election outcome continues. The outcome of this appeal will undoubtedly have significant implications for the political landscape in Adamawa State and beyond.

Premium Times