Afrigather The Court docket of Enchantment in Abuja has affirmed the election of Agbu Kefas of the Peoples Democratic Celebration (PDP) because the duly elected governor of Taraba State, upholding the judgment of the Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal.
This ruling comes after the New Nigerian Peoples Celebration (NNPP) and its candidate, Yahaya Sani, contested Kefas’ victory within the March 18 governorship election, initially declared by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC).
Kefas emerged victorious within the election, securing 257,926 votes, a conquer the NNPP and different contenders. Nonetheless, the NNPP, difficult the end result, alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act of 2022 and claimed that their candidate, Sani, had the vast majority of lawful votes.
The NNPP sought the Tribunal’s intervention to nullify Kefas’ election, invalidate his certificates of return, and problem a brand new certificates to Sani. Alternatively, they requested a repeat election in affected polling models throughout 16 Native Authorities Areas (LGAs).
The NNPP introduced a considerable case on the tribunal, bringing ahead 127 witnesses, predominantly polling unit brokers.
Regardless of these efforts, the three-man panel of justices on the tribunal dismissed the petition for missing benefit. Following this, the NNPP appealed to the upper courtroom, searching for redress.
In a counter-move, Kefas’ authorized consultant, Kanu Agabi SAN, submitted a cross-appeal on the appellate courtroom. Agabi argued that the Tribunal ought to have declared the NNPP’s reliefs as inconsistent.
The attraction courtroom, inspecting this cross-appeal, concurred with Agabi’s argument, stating that the NNPP’s simultaneous request for nullification of the election because of non-compliance and their demand to be declared the winner of the identical election was contradictory.
Moreover, the attraction courtroom struck out the choice reliefs sought by the NNPP as requested by Governor Kefas. The judges famous that the occasion’s failure to file a whole report of attraction from the Tribunal was an important oversight. Consequently, the appellate courtroom dismissed the NNPP’s utility, upholding the Tribunal’s view that the NNPP’s witnesses’ proof was largely rumour.
