The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed an appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Isah Mohammed Ashiru, challenging the election of the Kaduna state governor, Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A three-member panel of justices of the appellate court held on Friday that the appeal by the PDP and its governorship candidate is bereft of merit and, accordingly, dismissed it.
The court resolved all five issues brought before it for determination by the appellant against him, adding that “the result is that the appeal lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed.”
It would be recalled that the Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna had, in a judgement delivered on September 28, declared the Kaduna governorship election inconclusive.
In a split decision of a ratio of 2:1, the three-member tribunal panel of Justices led by Justice Victor Oviawe declared that the election was inconclusive and thus directed that a supplementary election should be held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 22 polling units of four local government areas of Kaduna State within 90 days.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the Tribunal, the PDP and its governorship candidate headed to the Court of Appeal, where they based their arguments on the grounds of alleged irregularities and electoral fraud, deposing that its candidate (PDP candidate), Isa Mohammed Ashiru, won the election.
Meanwhile, in a cross-appeal filed, Governor Uba Sani asked the Court of Appeal to reverse the alternative ruling of the Tribunal, ordering a supplementary election in the state.
Governor Uba Sani, in the cross-appeal taken out on his behalf by his legal team, headed by former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), contested the alternative majority ruling of the tribunal delivered on September 28, which created a path for his PDP opponent, Ashiru Isa, to claim victory
