Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Ahnmed Usman Ododo (Kogi) will still have to suspend celebration over their final affirmation of their election victories, as the Supreme Court on Monday reserved judgement in the appeal challenging their victory at the Appeal Courts over the governorship seats of Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states
The five man Supreme panel Court reserved judgments in the appeals challenging the governorship elections held on November 11, 2023, in the three states.
The panel of justices, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, announced the decision on Monday after hearing arguments from the involved parties.
During Kogi election petition hearing, the panel rejected a request by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the state, Muritala Ajaka, to have a full panel of seven justices hear his appeal against Governor Usman Ododo.
Ajaka’s counsel, Pius Akubo (SAN), had sought the CJN’s approval for a full panel, citing specific sections of their legal brief.
However, Justice Garba ruled that a five-member panel was sufficient to determine appeals related to governorship elections, given their jurisdictional authority and the time-bound nature of election petitions.
The panel’s decision was supported by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), who argued against the request and pointed out that the Supreme Court had previously affirmed the sufficiency of a five-member panel for such cases.
The panel also addressed various applications to regularise aspects of the appeals and set a date for the judgments
In the Imo governorship cases, the Supreme Court had earlier dismissed appeals filed by the Accord Party (AP) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) challenging the election of Governor Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for lack of merit.
The court ordered the AP to pay N1 million each to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, and Uzodinma to cover the costs of their responses to the appeal. Similarly, the APM was ordered to pay N2 million each to INEC, APC, and Uzodinma.
The panel however reserved judgment on appeals by the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Athan Achonu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu against Uzodinma’s election.
In the same vein, the Supreme Court reserved judgment after hearing arguments and final submissions from counsels for the APC’s Timipre Sylva, and defendant, Governor Duoye Diri, as well as from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the PDP.
Sylva’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), asked that the Supreme Court overturn the previous judgments by the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. He argued that the declaration of Diri by INEC as the winner should be invalidated and he should be declared the lawful winner.
In contrast, Governor Diri’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), argued that Sylva’s appeal was fundamentally flawed and unsupported by evidence. He maintained that the appeal lacked merit and should be dismissed. This position was echoed by INEC and the PDP, represented by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), who also argued against the appeal’s validity.