On a day fraught with dispute and jubilation, the Supreme Court of Nigeria confirmed the election victories of six state governors, leaving no incumbent governor unseated from office. The governors include Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State. The period of resolved election appeals now tallies to 15, the highest judicial affirmation of state leadership in recent times.
Among the notable decisions, the apex court reinstated Abdullahi Sule as the governor of Nasarawa State, overturning the tribunal’s removal of his governorship. The appeals of Ovie Omo-Agege and Ken Pella of the All Progressives Congress, as well as Kenneth Gbagi of the Social Democratic Party against the election of Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state, were also dismissed. Similarly, the election of Dapo Abiodun as the governor of Ogun state was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, asserting his continued tenure.
However, the rulings have not been without public outcry. In Nasarawa, a group of women, including widows, took to the streets in protest of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s confirmation. The unrest led to road blockages, disrupting normal activity in the state capital. The police arrested several protesters, including widows and men, as efforts were made to restore calm in the area.
On the other hand, the confirmed governors have expressed their determination to push forward undeterred. Governor Dapo Abiodun emphasized that his administration remains focused, despite the attempts to distract it, while Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna called for unity and development in the wake of the legal disputes being put to rest.
Despite the controversies and celebrations, the rulings have solidified the mandate of the affirmed governors, setting the stage for their continued governance and future political landscapes.
It remains to be seen how these decisions will shape the political discourse and governance in the respective states, as the aftermath of the court’s pronouncements unfolds.
