APC Celebrates as Supreme Court Affirms Election of Gombe and Kebbi Governors

The Supreme Court has upheld the election victories of Governors Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, both members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The rulings come after their challengers contested the outcomes of the 18th March 2023 gubernatorial elections, which were initially declared in favour of the APC candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In separate judgments, the Supreme Court affirmed the elections of both governors, dismissing the appeals brought against them. In the case of Gombe State, a five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun rejected the appeal filed by Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging Governor Yahaya’s victory. The court cited the decisions of the lower courts and the Court of Appeal, finding no merit in the appeal and affirming Governor Yahaya’s election.

Similarly, in the Kebbi State governorship election appeal, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, in her lead decision of the court’s panel, dismissed the appeal brought by the PDP and its candidate, Aminu Bande. The court ruled that the appellants had failed to meet the burden of proof required by law, affirming Governor Idris’s victory. Justice Kekere-Ekun, in her contribution to the lead verdict, also dismissed the appeal, stating that there was no merit in it.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had previously upheld Governor Yahaya’s election in Gombe State, with Justice Theresa Orji-Agbadua ruling that the petitioner’s case lacked merit. The court found that the allegations of non-qualification, perjury, and certificate forgery against Governor Yahaya and the electoral commission were not substantiated.

In the case of Kebbi State, the PDP and Mr. Bande had contested the Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold Governor Idris’s election, arguing that their evidence had not been properly considered. The appellate court had dismissed their appeal, stating that the allegations of forgery against the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Tafida, were unsubstantiated, and the issues of non-compliance with the Electoral Act did not significantly affect the election outcome.

The Supreme Court’s decisions have effectively confirmed Governors Yahaya and Idris as the duly elected governors of Gombe and Kebbi States, respectively, settling the legal disputes surrounding their elections.

Premium Times