The Supreme Court has dismissed the two appeals filed by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, challenging the re-election of Governor Yahaya Bello.
In the lead judgement prepared by Justice Nyang Okoro, delivered by Justice Uwanyi Aba’aji, the court held that the two appeals lacked merit.
It said, the allegations of electoral irregularities could not be proved.
There was no descenting voice among the justices.
The legal battle over last year’s governorship election in Kogi state, North-Central Nigeria was faulted from the lower court, up to the Supreme Court.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate, Musa Wada, as well as Natacha Akpoti, of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, challenged the election that returned Governor Yahaya Bello to office for his second and last term.
On July 4, the court of appeal in Abuja upheld the decision of the election petition tribunal which upheld Bello’s electoral victory in 2019.
Not satisfied with the decision of both the electoral tribunal and the Court of Appeal, the duo of Wada and Natacha proceeded to the Supreme Court.
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On Monday, the Supreme Court finally laid to rest the legal battle over the election, by dismissing both appeals.
In the thinking of the seven justices, neither the PDP nor SDP provided enough evidence to prove the alleged electoral malfeasance.
The allegation by the SDP on the falsification of document by the deputy governor, Edward Onoja was also dismissed for want of evidence.
With the Supreme Court judgement Governor Bello will remain in office till 2023, barring any hitches.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
