PDP Wins 11 States In Governorship Tribunal, APC 10, LP 1

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has so far emerged victorious in ten states, following the ruling of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on the March 18 governorship elections.

Naija News understands states won by the APC are Gombe, Cross River, Benue, Lagos, Kano, Ogun, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi and Sokoto.

In Gombe, the tribunal affirmed the re-election of Muhammadu Yahaya as governor of the state.

The state tribunal on the 26th of September, 2023 dismissed the petitions of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Jibrin Barde, and that of the African Democratic Congress and its candidate, Nafiu Bala.

The tribunal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State in its final judgment dismissed the petition brought by Prof. Sandy Onor against the election victory of Senator Bassey Otu as governor, and Peter Odey as deputy governor of the state.

The tribunal upheld Otu’s election, saying the petitioner’s case filed in Suit Number: EPT/CR/GOV/02/2023 lacked merit.

In Benue, the state election petition tribunal, on September 23, dismissed the petition by the candidate of the PDP, Titus Uba, filed against the election of Hyacinth Alia of the APC.

The tribunal also held that the allegation of forgery against the governor was a pre-election dispute that should be brought before the tribunal.

In Lagos, the governorship election tribunal upheld the victory of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while dismissing Olajide Adediran (alias Jandor) and Rhodes-Vivour’s petitions.

Meanwhile, in Kano State, the tribunal ruled that the candidate of the opposition APC, Nasiru Gawuna, was the winner of the March 18 poll.

The incumbent governor of the state, Abba Yusuf, has, however, filed a notice of appeal challenging the judgment of the tribunal sacking him as governor.

In Ogun State, the governorship election petition tribunal affirmed the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun as the winner of the March 18 governorship contest in the state, dismissing the petitions by PDP’s Ladi Adebutu.

On September 27, the Ebonyi State governorship election tribunal dismissed the petition filed by Bernard Odoh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and affirmed Francis Nwifuru as governor of the state.

In Kaduna State, the governorship election petition tribunal upheld the victory of Uba Sani as the governor of the state.

The panel via Zoom ruled against the PDP and its candidate, Isah Ashiru, for premature filing of the application for pre-hearing.

Similarly, in Sokoto State, the tribunal affirmed the election of Ahmed Aliyu of the APC as the governor of the state.

Also, the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday, reaffirmed the election of Nasir Idris as the duly elected governor of Kebbi State.

The tribunal, in its ruling, dismissed the application filed by the PDP challenging the governorship election won by Idris of the APC, and his deputy, Abubakar Umar, describing the petitioner’s application as “lacking in evidential value”.

PDP has won in these states so far, Plateau, Zamfara, Bauchi, Enugu, Nasarawa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Oyo, Adamawa and Rivers.

In Abia, the state election tribunal affirmed the election of Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party, dismissing the petitions of the PDP, APC and the Young Progressives Party’s candidates.

So far, the state tribunals have delivered judgment in 22 states; six states are yet to get the judgment from their respective tribunals.

They include Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kwara, Niger and Yobe states.