COURT OF APPEAL OVERTURNS TRIBUNAL DECISION, UPHOLD GOVERNOR ABDULLAHI SULE'S VICTORY
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the removal of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, declaring the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) earlier announcement of Sule's victory in the March election as valid.
Despite INEC's declaration of Sule's victory with 347,209 votes, the tribunal had nullified the election, favoring David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Governor Sule appealed the tribunal's decision, arguing that the tribunal had not considered key witness submissions and neglected BVAS data as evidence.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision on October 2, rejected the tribunal's ruling, stating that it erred in concluding that Sule did not secure the majority of votes, thereby affirming Sule's re-election.
In response to Sule's appeal, the Court of Appeal, through a three-member panel of justices, found that the Nasarawa State Election Petition Tribunal had made a legal error in its judgment. The tribunal's failure to consider witness submissions and disregard for BVAS data were deemed as crucial oversights. Consequently, the appellate court set aside the tribunal's decision and upheld the legitimacy of Governor Abdullahi Sule's re-election as the Governor of Nasarawa State.
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