Court Declares Zamfara Guber Election Inconclusive, Mandates Rerun in 3 LGAs

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, declared as inconclusive, the governorship election that held in Zamfara State on March 18. The court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, nullified the return of Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) as the winner of the gubernatorial contest. It ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a fresh election in three Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state. The court however, did not award any cost to the respondents.  The court agreed with All Progressive Congress APC candidate that elections did not hold previously or where results from various polling units were not counted in the three LGAs. In the lead judgement that was read by Justice Sybil Nwaka, the court held that it was wrong for INEC to rely on information it obtained from its IReV portal, to collate the final result of the governorship election. The judgement followed an appeal that was lodged before the court by the immediate past governor of the state, Bello Matawalle, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election. More details later…

2024: PDP Unveils Timetable For Edo Guber Election 

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has unveiled the much-anticipated timetable for the Edo State 2024 gubernatorial election.  This schedule, released after a joint meeting of the Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, outlines the key activities preceding the election. Key highlights from the timetable include: Aspirants eyeing the governorship seat can obtain nomination forms for N21 million, with a 50 percent discount available for youths aged between 25 and 30; Registration of both existing and new members is set between November 16 and December 7, while the crucial party congress, determining the governorship candidate, is scheduled for February 22, 2024; December 14 marks the deadline for the submission of ward registers to the Directorate of Organisation and Mobilisation; Stakeholders’ consultative meetings with the National Working Group will be held from December 19 to 20; Expression of interest and ad-hoc forms will be available for purchase from January 10 to 16, with January 17 as the final date for their submission; The screening of governorship aspirants by the National Working Committee is set for January 18, 2024; Sales of nomination forms for completed expression of interest submissions will take place from January 19 to 25, with January 27 as the deadline for their submission. The governorship primary is scheduled for February 22, while February 24 is earmarked for appeals related to the primary process.

Appeal Court Dismisses PDP’s Appeal Against Sanwo-Olu’s Victory

In a significant development, the appeal court in Lagos has upheld the tribunal’s ruling, validating Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat’s positions as Governor and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, respectively. The court’s justices, comprising Justice Yargata Nimpa, Justice Samuel Bola, and Justice Paul Bassey, reached a unanimous decision to dismiss the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) appeal on grounds of lacking merit. The affirmation of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat’s victory by the appeal court solidifies their mandate following the tribunal’s initial judgment. Justice Yargata Nimpa led the delivery of this pivotal verdict, cementing the continuation of the duo in their respective roles within the Lagos State government.

Nasarawa Guber: Appeal Court Reserves Judgement On Sule’s Petition 

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, has reserved judgment in an appeal instituted by Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Sule was at the appellate court, contesting against the majority decision by a tribunal nullifying his election, in favour of David Ombugadu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). A three-member panel of justices headed by Justice U. Onyemenam told parties involved that the date for judgment will be communicated to them. In the actual proceedings, Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Sule who filed five processes to challenge the appeal urged the Court to dismiss the judgment of the Tribunal and allow the appeal of his client.  Olanipekun argued that the Tribunal refused to take the submissions of their witnesses during the Tribunal hearing and that data from the BVAS tendered to the Tribunal were merely dumped and without been considered as evidence. In his response, counsel to Ombugadu, Kanu Agabi SAN, and the PDP urged the court to dismiss the appeal stating that their evidence are merely documentary. On the issue of BVAS, Agabi argued that it was sufficiently demonstrated in the Tribunal as demanded by law, with the print out from the machine shown, against the argument that they were merely dumped without being analysed.  Agabi who referred the court to the judgment of the Tribunal argued that in delivering judgment, the lower court painstakingly gave a breakdown of how it arrived at its decision.

Guber Election: Respect Wishes Of Kogi People, APC Tells INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to protect the popular will of Kogi electorate in Saturday ‘s governorship election. Mr Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. “With the candidate of the APC, Usman Ododo, coasting to spectacular victory in Saturday’s Kogi governorship election, we call on INEC to protect the integrity of the legitimate votes of the Kogi electorate. “Announced and uploaded results, so far, show our candidate maintaining a landslide lead in Kogi West and Central, with a competitive showing in Kogi East,” Morka said. He said the APC was aware of intense pressure, including violent threats on INEC staff by agents and supporters of trailing opposition parties aimed at unduly influencing or disrupting ongoing collation of results in the state. He urged INEC to stand fast in discharge of its constitutional duty to deliver free, fair and credible election in the state, and ensure that the freely exercised will of Kogi electorate prevailed.