The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by the Action Peoples Party, APP challenging the decision of the lower court which upheld the election of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in the November 16, 2019 election.
The party alleged election irregularities and its exclusion from the said election. Delivering judgement on the 13 grounds of appeal, the Court held that there is no synergy in the appeal and the judgement of the lower court.
Also in the appeal filed by the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP alleging irregularities and exclusion in the election, the Court said the witnesses presented at the Tribunal could not be relied upon on unlawful exclusion as the Party could not show any valid nominations therefore it was not in anyway excluded when it did not have a validly nominated candidate in the election.
The appeal of Social Democratic Party, SDP and its governorship candidate Natacha Akpoti was also dismissed. Akpoti had alleged massive electoral malpractices, unlawful exclusion and falsification of certificates on the part of the deputy governor, Edward Onoja.
The appeal court held that evidence presented before the lower court were contradictory in nature and as such lack probative value.
The Court has also dismissed the appeal filed by Musa Wada and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP challenging the November 16 2019 election that brought Governor Bello back to office.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
