By Gideon Maxwell
August 23, 2024
In a series of significant rulings on August 23, 2024, the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed the elections of three state governors, solidifying their positions in office.
Bayelsa State
In Bayelsa, the Supreme Court validated the election of Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of Bayelsa State.
The court dismissed the appeal filed by Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing lack of merit.
The decision aligns with the earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal on July 15, which deemed Sylva’s appeal as an abuse of court procedures due to the submission of two separate notices of appeal.
Diri secured 175,196 votes in the November 11, 2023, off-cycle election, surpassing Sylva who garnered 110,108 votes.
Imo State
In Imo State, the Supreme Court also upheld the election of Hope Uzodinma as the governor of Imo State, although specific details of the case were not provided in the available sources.
Kogi State
In Kogi State, the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, unanimously dismissed the appeal filed by Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), finding it lacking in merit.
The court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, which had previously affirmed Ododo’s victory.
Ajaka had challenged the election results, alleging forgery and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, but the court held that these allegations were not proven beyond reasonable doubt and that the forgery claims were pre-election matters that should have been addressed by the Federal High Court.
These rulings bring closure to the electoral disputes in these states, confirming the legitimacy of the governors’ elections and allowing them to continue their duties without further legal challenges.
