The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reversed the judgment of the Election Tribunal sacking the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, News About Nigeria reports.
The court, therefore, affirmed his victory in the March 18 gubernatorial election in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Sule of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the election, while David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came second.
However, the tribunal, led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi in a split judgment, held that based on evidence from the various polling units before the tribunal, Ombugadu had the majority of valid votes in the election.
Ombugadu had dragged Sule to court, challenging his declaration as the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The PDP candidate in the election had told the tribunal that his actual votes in Gayam and Chiroma Wards of Lafia Local Government Area were reduced, while those of the APC candidate were increased to aid Sule in securing victory.
In line with his petition and the evidence he presented to the court, the tribunal deducted the incorrect votes added to Sule and accordingly added back the votes that were reduced from his count, as evident on the certified copies of the polling unit results (forms EC8A) he tendered.
However, the appellate court, in its judgment on the matter on Thursday, discarded from its records the evidence and exhibits from PW5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 20, and 21, which the tribunal relied on.
According to the appellate court, the tribunal, which sacked Sule, erred in law by concluding that Sule did not win the majority of the votes cast in the election.
The appellate court, therefore, set aside the judgment of the tribunal and affirmed the reelection of Sule as the Governor of Nasarawa State.
