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Supreme Court to deliver judgments Friday in eight states’ governorship disputes
The Supreme Court has scheduled judgments for Friday, January 12, on appeals in the governorship disputes in eight states.
The states are Lagos, Kano, Plateau, Zamfara, Bauchi, Cross-River and Ebonyi states.
According to The Nation, notices of the impending judgments have been sent to parties in the appeals
The appeals by Rhodes-Vivour (SC/CV/1152/2023) and Adeniran (SC/CV/1155/2023) are against the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which affirmed the two decisions of the election tribunal dismissing both appellants’ petition, challenging Sanwo-Olu’s victory in the last governorship election
Nine appeals and counter-appeals were filed in all. But, in December 21 when the appeals were called, a five-member panel of the court presided over by Justice John Okoro elected to hear the main appeal filed by Yusuf, marked: SC/CV/1179/2023.
The court said its decision in the appeal heard is to be applied to others because the issues are similar.
Yusuf is, by his appeal, seeking to upturn the November 17 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the September 20 decision of the election tribunal voiding his victory in the March 18 election
On January 9, the apex court heard and reserved judgment on the appeals filed in respect of Plateau State.
Three appeals were filed in respect of Plateau State, while the same number was filed about Delta State.
Out of the three filed in respect of Plateau, the court heard the one filed by Governor Caleb Mutfwang (SC/CV/1190/2023), with an agreement by parties that the decision in the one heard shall be applied to the appeal filed by the Governor’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), marked: SC/CV/1191/2023.
The third appeal, filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was withdrawn by its lawyer, Samuel Atung (SAN) when the court made him realise that the other appeals were sufficient to resolve the dispute.
The three appeals are directed against the November 19 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which voided Mutfwang’s election.
On January 11 the apex court will decide the appeal by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Cross River State, Senator (Prof) Sandy Ojang Onor.
In the appeal, marked: SC/CV/1194/2023 Onor is seeking to upturn the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Senator Bassey Edet Otu.
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