The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against the appeal court judgment reinstating the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the appeal court judgment reinstating the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule.
The five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun adjourned the matter for judgment after listening to the counsel’s arguments on the appeal.
Kekere-Ekun noted that parties would be notified when judgment is ready.
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The state election petition tribunal had sacked the governor and declared David Ombugadu, candidate of the PDP the winner of the March 18, 2023 election.
The tribunal led by Ezekiel Ajayi, in a split decision of two-to-one, held that having evaluated the evidence before the panel, the PDP candidate substantiated his claim that the poll results were manipulated in favour of Sule.
But the Appeal Court reinstated Sule and held that the tribunal wrongly relied on the evidence of eight of the PDP witnesses, whose statements on oath were not front-loaded alongside the petition.
Ombugadu, however, appealed the judgment at the apex court. Tension generated by the judgement had prompted the APC and PDP in the state to sign an accord refraining members of the parties from breaching the peace on the outcome.
The peace deal was signed by the leadership of both political parties in the presence of security agencies in the state on Monday in Lafia.
A statement by the APC’s spokesperson in the state, Mr. Otaru Douglas, urged members and supporters to employ civility in their conduct, maintain decorum, mutual respect, and avoid making utterances capable of inflaming passion.
“On no account should any party member or supporter authorise or publish unauthorised statements from any quarters, be it on social or mainstream media platforms. Any statement on matters arising from the proceedings of the court to be issued by any individual or appointee of the Government must be verified and edited by the media centre of the party and that of the government house before its publication.
“To this end, we enjoin our teeming supporters to remain calm and refrain from any act capable of undermining the peace and stability of the state either before, during, and after the Supreme Court judgement”, the accord stated in parts.
