Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, has urged the Supreme Court to dismiss an appeal lodged against his election by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Sa’adu Umar. The governor has vehemently asserted that the petition lacks merit and substance.
During the hearing of the appeal at the apex court, Governor Aliyu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN, argued that the Sokoto State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal were entirely justified in their findings and dismissal of the petition for lack of merit. Olanipekun emphasized that none of the allegations against his client’s election was substantiated according to the law, thus calling for the appeal’s dismissal.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also joined in seeking the dismissal of the appeal, echoing Olanipekun’s position.
Conversely, the appellants, PDP and Umar, implored the court to recognize the merit in the appeal, overturn the decisions of the lower courts, and declare them as the rightful winners of the gubernatorial election.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun-led five-man panel of Justices reserved judgment in the matter, with the announcement that the delivery date would be communicated to the parties.
Last year, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed Ahmad Aliyu’s election as Governor of Sokoto State, dismissing the appeal filed by PDP and its governorship candidate. The appellate court upheld the tribunal’s verdict that validated the governor’s victory.
Governor Aliyu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the election with 453,661 votes, defeating Umar who secured 404,632 votes. However, Umar raised allegations of certificate forgery against the governor and his deputy, Idris Gobir, which were not upheld by the courts.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on September 30, the Election Petition Tribunal had dismissed the petition of the PDP and its governorship candidate, citing their failure to prove the grounds formulated in their joint petition.
The Supreme Court’s impending judgment holds considerable weight in determining the outcome of this contentious electoral dispute.
