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Local government

Nasarawa State Governorship Election Tribunal Sacks Governor Abdullahi Sule

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Nasarawa State. However, the PDP's David Ombugadu approached the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to nullify the election and declare him the winner. The tribunal, after hearing arguments from both sides, sacked Governor Sule and declared Ombugadu the lawfully elected governor of Nasarawa State.

Key Takeaways:

  • Governor Abdullahi Sule of the APC was declared winner of the March 18 governorship election in Nasarawa State by the INEC.
  • The PDP's David Ombugadu challenged the election, claiming that the votes of the election in Ashige Electoral Ward and Alwaza Electoral Ward were wrongly deducted, and that the BVAS machines and IREV records were not counted.
  • The tribunal heard arguments from both sides, with the respondents (Governor Sule, the APC, and INEC) arguing that the petitioners had failed to prove their allegations and that the petition was lacking in merit.
  • The respondents also pointed out that the petitioners had failed to show where they scored 25% of the votes in any Local Government Area.
  • The tribunal, in a split decision, sacked Governor Sule and declared David Ombugadu the lawfully elected governor of Nasarawa State.

Statistics:

  • Governor Sule scored 347,209 votes, while his closest rival, David Ombugadu, scored 283,016 votes.
  • The petitioners alleged that the votes of the election in Ashige Electoral Ward and Alwaza Electoral Ward were wrongly deducted, resulting in a loss of 64,193 lawful votes.
  • The respondents argued that the petitioners had failed to establish the allegation of exclusion or wrongful deduction of votes.
  • The tribunal heard evidence from 25 witnesses, including Exhibit IG3, FB36, VB1 to VB207, SP01 to SP310, IG28, SUB305, IG9 to IG14, SUB306, IG3, SUB38 to 43, and LZ.
  • The respondents argued that the petitioners' star witness, PW22, made conflicting claims, and that the BVAS machines and IREV records were not counted.

Sources:

  • The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
  • The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
  • The All Progressives Congress (APC)
  • Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, Chairman of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal
  • Counsel to Governor Sule, WoleOlanikpekun
  • Counsel to the APC, Dr. Hassan Liman
  • Counsel to INEC, IsiakaDikko
  • Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (October 2, 2023)

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