Live Updates: Supreme Court Delivers Judgement on Kano, Plateau, Lagos, Other 2023 Gov Elections
It’s the final decision day as the Supreme Court is set to deliver judgements in the disputes over the March 18, 2023 governorship elections today, Friday, January 12.
The states whose governorship elections appeal the apex court will deliver judgements on include Kano, Plateau, Lagos, Zamfara, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Bauchi and Ebonyi.
Source: Twitter
Stay tuned for Legit.ng's live updates.
Videos: How Abba Kabir Yusuf, Dauda Lawal reacted to their victories
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state (NNPP) and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state (PDP) have reacted to their victories at the Supreme Court.
Watch below:
Supreme Court affirms Bassey Otu’s election as Cross River governor
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River state.
The apex court dismissed the appeal filed by Professor Sandy Onor and his party, PDP, seeking the sack of Governor Otu of the APC.
Read Also: BREAKING: Supreme Court dismisses PDP’s case against Otti’s election as Abia governor
Justice Helen Ogunwumiju, in the lead judgment, held that the appellants failed to prove their case.
Justice Ogunwumiju proceeded to affirm the concurrent judgments of the election tribunal and Court of Appeal, which affirmed Otu’s election.
Details shortly…
Supreme Court affirms Alex Otti’s election as Abia governor
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Alex Otti as the Governor of Abia state.
Reading the lead judgment, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji held that the appellants failed to prove substantial non-compliance in their appeal.
On the issue of Otti’s membership, the appellant had contended that he wasn’t validly nominated and sponsored by the Labour Party (LP) at the time of the election. However, the appellate court held that the issue of membership is an internal affair and as such lacks jurisdiction.
The apex court faulted the appellants for bringing the appeal to the court, tagging it as frivolous and vexatious.
Supreme Court affirms Alex Otti’s election as Abia governor
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Abia State, Okechukwu Ahiwe seeking to sack Labour Party’s Alex Otti as the Governor of Abia State.
Supreme Court affirms Caleb Mutfwang as Plateau governor
The Supreme Court has affirmed Caleb Mutfwang's election, declaring him as the duly elected governor of Plateau state.
Supreme Court affirms Ebonyi Gov Nwifuru’s election
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal challenging the election of Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.
The apex court unanimously held that the appeal by Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii of the PDP lacked merit.
The lead judgment read by Justice Tijani Abubakar held that Odii and the PDP failed to prove allegations of non-qualification to contest the election and non-compliance with Electoral Act, 2022 in the election.
Supreme Court affirms Dauda Lawal’s election as Zamfara governor
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Dauda Lawal as the duly elected governor of Zamfara state.
Reading the lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim described the judgment of the court of appeal as perverse.
Supreme Court Reverses Gov Yusuf’s Sack
The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which sacked Kabir Yusuf as the governor of Kano state.
A five-member panel of justices unanimously held that the lower court misunderstood the import of the purported deduction of 165,616 ballot papers in favour of Governor Yusuf.
The lead judgment by Justice Inyang Okoro also held that the issue of Governor Yusuf’s membership was a pre-election matter.
Kano state is next
The Supreme Court has now moved to deliver judgement on the Kano governorship election dispute.
Justice John Okoro prepared the lead Judgement and is reading.
Bala Mohammed reacts
Governor Bala Mohammed has reacted after his victory at the Supreme Court.
He posted on X:
"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, I offer all praises to Allah for our victory. This triumph belongs to the people of Bauchi State and our esteemed party, the @OfficialPDPNig.
"On behalf of my family and myself, I express deep gratitude to all our stakeholders who joined us in this journey, particularly our religious and faith leaders, political associates, friends, and well-wishers. This victory reaffirms that the good work in Bauchi State must go on. #GreaterBauchi"
Supreme Court Affirms Bala Mohammed’s election as Bauchi governor
The Supreme court has affirmed the election of PDP's Bala Mohammed as the Bauchi state governor.
The apex court dismissed the appeal by Sadique Abubakar of the APC for lacking in merit.
Bauchi state is next
The court is about to deliver judgment for Bauchi state.
Supreme Court dismisses Adediran’s case against Sanwo-Olu
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal by the PDP candidate, Adediran, against Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state.
Justice Adamu Jauro, who read the lead judgment, held that the appeal lacked merit.
Supreme Court dismisses Rhodes-Vivour's appeal against Sanwo-Olu
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Sanwo-Olu as the governor of Lagos state.
Justice Lawal dismissed the appeal filed by Rhodes-Vivour.
He held that the deputy governor was duly qualified to contest the election.
Supreme Court begins with Sanwo-Olu Vs Rhodes-Vivour case
The Supreme Court has commenced the judgment proceedings.
A seven-member panel of justices starts with the appeal challenging the outcome of the governorship election in Lagos state.
The Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the PDP and its candidate, Abdulazeez Adediran, are challenging the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The LP urged the apex court to hold that the election was marred by irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, adding that Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat was not qualified to contest the election.
Also, Adediran of the PDP filed 34 grounds of appeal asking the apex court to upturn the verdict of the Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
However, counsel to Sanwo-Olu, Nas Ogunsakin, urged the court to dismiss the appeals, noting that the applicants did not present evidence to support their claims and that the witnesses brought were incompetent.
The lead judgment being read by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal is in the appeal by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour challenging Sanwo-Olu's victory.
Supreme Court begins sitting by 9am
The court begins sitting by 9am. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the judgments in the Kano and Plateau appeals are the most anticipated because the lower courts had sacked the incumbent governors.
Legit.ng gathers that though only lawyers and parties involved in the matter were permitted, hundreds of supporters of the parties could be seen trying to gain access to the premises.
Security beefed up at Supreme Court
Security at the Supreme Court is watertight ahead of the much-awaited judgments, according to an update by TVC.
Four governors arrive Supreme Court
At least four governors have arrived at the Supreme Court ahead of the judgement.
The governors are:
- Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state
- Abba Yusuf of Zamfara state
- Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau state
- Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state.
Legit.ng gathers that the immediate past governor of Plateau state, Senator Simon Lalong, is also in court.
Governors waiting for Supreme Court verdicts
- Caleb Muftwang (Plateau)
- Abba Yusuf (Kano)
- Dauda Lawal (Zamfara)
- Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos)
- Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi)
- Bala Muhammed (Bauchi).
- Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa)
- Alex Otti (Abia)
