Supreme Court declares Oborevwori governor of Delta State, dismisses three appeals
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed all three appeals to overturn Sheriff Oborevwori’s election as governor of Delta State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Oborevwori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.
But unsatisfied, the three parties headed to the court. While Oborevwori was victorious in the tribunal and at the appeal court, the parties pushed the matter to the Supreme Court.
When the case came up at the apex court, it upheld the earlier judgments and upheld Oborevwori’s win in the Delta governorship. The court first dismissed Ovie Omo-Agege’s appeal seeking to overturn Governor Oborevwori’s election.
The apex court held that the appellant was unable to prove his case of over-voting and noncompliance with the electoral laws.
It also dismissed other appeals for lack of merit and affirmed the election of Governor Oborevwori of the PDP. The court awards no costs and the judgment is unanimous.
The judgment was in agreement with that of the lower courts which held that the appellants were unable to prove the allegations of noncompliance contained in their petition.
The verdict is coming about ten months after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Oborevwori as the winner of the Delta State Governorship Election.
ALLEGED 4BN FRAUD: EFCC DRAGS BABANGIDA ALIYU AND TANKO BEJI TO APPEAL COURT
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has approached the Court of Appeal to set aside a no-case ruling granted a former Governor of Niger State, Dr, Muazu Babangida Aliyu and former Chairman, People’s Democratic Party, Niger State, Tanko Beji by Justice Abdullahi Mukailu of the Niger State High Court sitting in Minna, on December 7, 2023.
The Commission had filed a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abetment and criminal breach of trust before Justice Aliyu Mayaki( now retired) against Aliyu, Beji and a former Commissioner for Environment and Chief of Staff to Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Umar Mohammed Nasko. The matter was later reassigned to Justice Abdullahi Mukailu and the EFCC called 11 witnesses and tendered over 400 exhibits and closed its case. However, the three defendants made a no-case submission before the court and His Lordship on December 7, 2023, granted the prayers in favour of Aliyu and Beji and directed Nasko to open his defence.
The EFCC, dissatisfied with the ruling of His Lordship on Aliyu and Beji regarding their no-case submission, and fully persuaded that a prima facie case had been established against them, filed a Notice of Appeal dated January 10, 2024. The Commission was optimistic that the Court of Appeal would do justice to the appeal.
Surprisingly, on January 15, 2024, when the EFCC’s counsel appeared in court to continue the trial of Nasko and without any prior notice, the Attorney General of Niger State made an appearance in court with an application to take over the case from the EFCC. Not done yet, the AG made another appearance four hours later and entered a nolle prosequi which His Lordship acted on and discharged Nasko.
For the EFCC, the road has not closed. The Commission is proceeding in its appeal against Aliyu and Beji at the Court of Appeal with all its evidence against them. The Commission will continue to discharge its duties in line with its mandate of tackling all forms of economic and financial crimes, without fear or favour.
Head, Media & Publicity
January 18, 2024.
