The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the earlier nullification of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s triumph in the Nasarawa State governorship election held on March 18.
This unanimous verdict, delivered by Justice Uchechukwu Onuemenam, challenges the prior ruling of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had initially dismissed Governor Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The appellate court dismantled the tribunal’s decision, highlighting its reliance on legally inadmissible evidence presented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, David Ombugadu.
The court emphasized the violation of Section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act provisions, insisting that statements on oath must accompany the petition within the stipulated timeframe.
Addressing the flawed reliance on eight witnesses’ statements not front-loaded with the petition, the appellate court took a decisive step by striking out all related evidence and exhibits.
This meticulous approach aimed to uphold the sanctity of legally admissible evidence in the legal proceedings.
The court scrutinized the testimony of the witnesses supporting the PDP candidate, declaring that the evidence presented by the remaining 12 witnesses was insufficient to sustain the tribunal’s judgment.
This critical analysis underscores the necessity of compelling and substantial evidence in election-related disputes.
The tribunal’s deduction of 1,868 votes from Governor Sule, based on alleged over-voting in four polling units, was deemed erroneous.
The court highlighted the petitioners’ failure to provide essential documents proving over-voting, exposing a critical flaw in the tribunal’s decision-making process.
The appellate court criticized the tribunal for summarily dismissing the evidence of witnesses supporting the APC candidate.
It condemned the lack of valid evidence from the PDP witnesses and questioned the tribunal’s hasty recomputation of votes, ultimately leading to an inaccurate declaration of the election results.
Concluding that the appeal had merit, the court dismissed the majority judgment of the tribunal, rendering the October 2 decision null and void.
This substantial legal victory for Governor Abdullahi Sule reinstates his position as the legitimate winner of the governorship contest.
