Spark News reports that the apex court today January 12 affirmed the election of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, setting aside the verdicts of the election petitions tribunal and the court of appeal.
The court also upheld the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, affirming the judgement of the Court of Appeal Lagos, and dismissing the appeal of Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party for lacking in merit.
Reacting to the apex court’s judgments, APC through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Barr Felix Morka, welcomed the judgments, saying it is final and binding on all parties.
The statement reads, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomes, with equanimity, the Supreme Court decisions on election petitions challenging the outcome of 2023 governorship elections in eight states.
“In Lagos, Ebonyi and Cross River States, the Supreme Court upheld the election of Governorship Candidates of our great Party. However, the appeals on Kano, Zamfara, Bauchi, Plateau and Abia states were decided in favour of other political parties and their candidates.
“While the Apex Court’s decisions will undoubtedly elicit mixed reactions and reviews, the decisions are final and binding on all parties to the legal contests. The decisions today provide a strong affirmation of the authority, vibrancy and independence of the Judiciary.
“APC has been consistent in its position that the Judiciary must be left alone to perform its 8important duty of resolving disputes, including electoral disputes, as constitutionally mandated. The decisions today must serve as a rebuke to political opposition figures that vilified and denigrated our courts when judgments were handed against them in these same matters. Assuming that it has any spec of decency left, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must tender unreserved apology to the courts and our judges for the senseless, irresponsible, reckless and unjustified attacks it mounted against the Judiciary throughout this electoral cycle.
“We congratulate the winners, particularly our Governors, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, and Bassey Otu of Cross River State, and wish them the very best as they continue to serve their states and country.
“We urge everyone to remain calm and continue to maintain the peace”.
