Breaking: Appeal Court Upholds Kaduna Governor’s Election, Halts Supplementary Poll

By Ranti Thomas

The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday set aside the order by the tribunal which declared the governorship election in Kaduna State inconclusive.

The court also affirmed the election of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of the state.

Sani had polled 730, 001 votes to defeat his closest rival, Isah Ashiru, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)who scored 719, 196 votes.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Ashiru argued that Sani did not score the majority of the lawful votes in the election.

Ashiru also claimed that the margin of lead was less than the total number of people who collected their PVCs in the polling units where the election was cancelled/not held.

Giving judgment on the matter, the state governorship election petitions tribunal in a split judgment declared the governorship election inconclusive.

The tribunal led by Victor Oviawie directed that a supplementary election should be held by the Independent National Electoral Commission within 90 daysThe tribunal ruled further that INEC is to conduct elections in seven wards, four local governments, and 24 polling units consisting of 16,300 registered voters.

Seeking redress at the appeal court, Ashiru urged the court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal on the matter.

Delivering judgment on the matter on Friday, the court held that the evidence relied on by the tribunal to declare the election inconclusive had discrepancies.

Details later…