The Supreme Court has affirmed Peter Mbah as the duly elected governor of Enugu state, bringing an end to several months of legal battle.
On Friday, a five-member panel of Justices of the apex court dismissed claims that Governor Mbah lacked the necessary National Youth Service Corps certificate, a requirement for candidacy.
The appellant, Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party, had contested the Court of Appeal’s decision, but the Lagos Division upheld Mbah’s election. The Court ruled against Edeoga on all points, stating that he failed to prove Mbah’s ineligibility.
Allegations of overvoting were also dismissed due to the absence of the voters’ register before the lower tribunal.
The Court of Appeal confirmed Mbah’s victory in the March 18 election, solidifying his position as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate. The Independent National Electoral Commission had previously declared Mbah the winner of the contested election.
Not satisfied with the appellate court’s judgment, Edeoga took the matter before the Supreme Court, where he also lost.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) declared Mbah of the PDP as the winner of the gubernatorial contest after polling 160,895 votes.
Edeoga came second with 157,552 votes, while Frank Nweke of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, polled 17, 983 votes to place third.
