In compliance with provisions of the Constitution on the terminal date of election cases, the Supreme Court will today – January 19, 2024 – deliver final judgments in 13 governorship election appeals.
Hearing and final judgments in the cases are, by law, to be considered and concluded within 60 days, after which the matters would become statute-barred.
The affected states include Nasarawa, Delta, Ogun, Gombe and Kebbi, among others.
Governors of the states will know their fate – whether they will remain in office or not – at the end of the make or mar verdicts that would be handed down today.
Political parties that filed cases along with their governorship candidates are the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Labour Party (LP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In Delta State, for instance, Gbagi Kenneth Omemavwa of the SDP, Omo-Agege Ovie Augustine of the APC, and Pella Kwahariebie Kennedy of the LP are challenging the election of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Emmanuel David Ombugadu of the PDP is challenging the declaration of Sule Audu Abdullahi of the APC as the elected Governor of Nasarawa State.
In Ogun State, Adebutu Oladipupo Olatunde of the PDP is praying the apex court to upturn the victory of Abiodun Adedapo Oluseun of the APC as the lawfully elected governor.
For Gombe State, Jibrin Muhammed Barde of the PDP is the appellant seeking to get the election of Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya upturned.
Similarly, Bande Aminu of the PDP is asking the apex court to set aside the declaration of Idris Nasir of the APC and his Deputy, Abubakar Umar Argungu, as winners of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
The Deputy Director of Press and Information at the Supreme Court, Malam Alfa Ahmed, confirmed that 13 judgments on disputed governorship elections would be delivered today.
He said the apex court has made adequate security arrangements for a hitch-free judgment delivery.
Ahmed confirmed further that counsel who represented different governors during the hearing of the cases are to come to court with only two lawyers from each chamber.
He hinted that only accredited political party leaders would be permitted into the court premises, to ensure crowd control and prevent security breaches.
According to him, Department of State Service (DSS) operatives would be responsible for screening those that would access the courtroom.
He further disclosed that journalists accredited by the Supreme Court would be allowed into the courtroom and foyer of the court, depending on the number of seats allocated to them.
* Media Report