By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with
Published on 2024-01-19 11:45:39
The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Governor of Kaduna State, dismissing an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ashiru Isah. The court, in a unanimous judgment, held that the appeal was without merit and that the appellants failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court delivered the judgment on Friday, affirming Governor Uba Sani’s victory. Justice Tijjani Abubakar, who read the lead judgment, emphasized that the appeal was unmeritorious, as the appellants did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act regarding the filing of pre-hearing notice at the tribunal.
This decision by the apex court was consistent with the earlier position held by the tribunal, stating that if the PDP and Ashiru had complied with the Electoral Act, the election would have been declared inconclusive. The ruling was widely anticipated and puts an end to the legal battle over the governorship election in Kaduna State.
It is worth noting that the petition against Governor Uba Sani was previously dismissed by the Kaduna state governorship election petition tribunal for the same reason. The court held that the pre-hearing notice was filed out of time. However, the Supreme Court clarified that if the petition was not dismissed, it would have declared the election inconclusive and ordered a supplementary poll in 22 polling units within 90 days.
This judgment by the Supreme Court brings closure to the dispute over the governorship election in Kaduna State. The decision reaffirms Uba Sani’s position as the legitimate Governor of Kaduna State and upholds the integrity of the electoral process. It also underscores the importance of compliance with electoral laws and regulations.
