BREAKING: Supreme Court Dismisses ADC’s ‘Frivolous’ Appeal Against Gombe Governor’s Re-Election, Decides PDP’s Case Friday

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) against the re-election of Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for being frivolous.

The apex court also fixed judgment on the appeal filed against the governor by Muhammad Jibrin Barde of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) for Friday.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had affirmed the judgment of the Gombe State Governorship Election Tribunal which dismissed the petition filed by the PDP.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 18 announced Governor Inuwa Yahaya of the APC as the winner of the guber poll with 342,821 votes.

Muhammad Jibrin Barde of the PDP was said to have scored 233,131.

But Barde approached the lower courts, claiming that Yakubu’s declaration did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Barde’s lawyers maintained that the PDP candidate scored majority of the lawful votes cast during the poll, adding that multiple thumb printing and ballot box stuffing took place in nine local government areas of the state in favour of Governor Yahaya.

But the three-man panel of the tribunal chaired by Justice S.B. Belgore and the appeal court dismissed the PDP application for lacking merit.

The PDP candidate’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji then approached the apex court for final redress.

But the legal team of the governor urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal with substantive cost.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Eku reserved judgment on the PDP case until Friday.

In ADC’s case, the apex court was informed that its brief of argument was statute barred.

Herbert Nwoye, counsel for the ADC candidate, Nafiu Bala, said his brief was filed on January 2 due to the new year day public holiday and that he was served with the appellant’s processes on December 29.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Eku told him that based on the 3-day timeline, he had until December 31 to file his brief.

Moreso, the judge held the ADC candidate had about 1,000 votes but was trying to overload the court with its case.

“You can’t come to court with frivolous appeal. I think you should not waste our time,” the judge said.

The lawyer had to withdraw his case and it was subsequently dismissed.

Justice Kekere-Eku used the opportunity to warn lawyers to advise their clients appropriately.