The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday affirmed the election of the Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Yahaya the winner of the governorship election after scoring 342,821 votes to beat his closest rival Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 233,131 votes.
Displeased with the outcome of the election, the PDP alleged that Yahaya was not re-elected by a majority of lawful votes.
The party also alleged that multiple thumb printing and ballot box stuffing were carried out across various polling units in nine out of the 11 local government areas of the state to favour Yahaya.
But the state governorship election petition tribunal dismissed the petitions filed by the party and Barde.
The three-man panel headed by Justice S.B. Belgore struck out the matter, saying that it was a pre-election issue.
The tribunal declared that the deputy governor met the minimum requirement to run in the election.
Not satisfied with the tribunal’s verdict, Barde and the PDP approached the appeal court.
Reading the lead judgment on Thursday, Justice T. N Orji-Abadua upheld the governor’s victory and dismissed the appeal by the PDP and its candidate, Barde.
Orji-Abadua said the issues in the appeal were resolved in the favour of the respondent.
“This appeal lacks merit. All the issues are resolved in favour of the respondent and against the appellant. No order as to cost. The judgment of the lower tribunal is hereby affirmed, ” she held.
