In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal in Abuja overturned the removal of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, reinstating him to the position he was elected to hold. The court’s decision marks a significant setback for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had challenged Sule’s victory in the March gubernatorial election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) initially declared Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner, securing 347,209 votes to his closest opponent’s 283,016 votes. However, in a split decision on October 2, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified Sule’s election and declared David Ombugadu of the PDP as the rightful winner.
Read also Tribunal sacks gov Sule of Nasarawa, declares PDP winner
Sule, through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), appealed the tribunal’s decision, arguing that the tribunal had erred in law by refusing to consider the submissions of their witnesses and by failing to properly scrutinize the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) data.
In a unanimous decision on Thursday, a three-member panel of justices of the Court of Appeal agreed with Sule’s arguments and set aside the tribunal’s judgment. The court found that the tribunal had misapplied the law and that there was no evidence to support its conclusion that Sule had not won the majority of the votes in the election.
The appellate court’s decision has been welcomed by Sule’s supporters and the APC, who view it as a vindication of the governor’s victory. The PDP, on the other hand, has expressed disappointment with the ruling and vowed to explore further legal options.
The Court of Appeal’s decision is a significant development in the ongoing political contest in Nasarawa State. It reaffirms the importance of due process and the need for the judiciary to uphold the integrity of elections.
