S’Court dismisses ADC’s suit, rules on Gombe, Nasarawa guber cases today

• Reserves judgment in Kaduna appeal
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against election of Governor Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State.

The decision followed withdrawal of the suit by Albert Nwoye, counsel to candidate of the ADC in the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial poll, Nafiu Bala.

Equally, the court scheduled judgment for today in the dispute by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its flag-bearer, Jibrin Barde, seeking to void Yahaya’s return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the contest.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, announced the date after lawyers to the parties adopted their briefs yesterday morning.

Similarly, the court will today ruled on the appeal filed by PDP’s standard-bearer, David Ombugadu, against reinstatement of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State by the Court of Appeal.

The apex court had, on Tuesday, withheld judgment to a later date in the appeal challenging outcome of last year’s gubernatorial poll in the state.

Earlier, the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had overturned Sule’s declaration by INEC as winner before the appellate later restored the governor’s victory.

On the other hand, the apex court reserved judgment in the appeal seeking to nullify the election of Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State.

Same five-member panel of judges, headed by Justice Kekere-Ekun, yesterday, made the announcement after adopting briefs of counsel.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal had, in a unanimous judgement delivered last November, dismissed a five-ground appeal filed by governorship candidate of the PDP, Mohammed Ashiru Isa.

During yesterday’s proceedings, INEC and APC asked the apex court to dismiss the case.