UPDATED: Supreme Court affirms Mohammed Yahaya as Gombe Governor

Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya

The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the election of Mohammed Yahaya as the duly elected governor of Gombe State.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun Who affirmed Yahaya as governor dismissed the appeal against his victory brought to it by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s candidate.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had in November last year affirmed the election of Muhammad Yahaya as Governor of Gombe State.

The appellate court had affirmed Yahaya’s election shortly after dismissing two separate appeals challenging his declaration as winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Delivering the lead judgment in the appeal marked: CA/G/EP/GOV/GM/11/2023 and filed by the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Jibrin Mohammed Barde, the presiding Justice, Theresa Orji-Abadua held that the appeal was without merit and subsequently dismissed it.

According to judgment, the petitioners at the lower tribunal, failed to prove their allegations of non-qualification, perjury and certificate forgery raised in the petition.

After dismissing the appeal, the panel subsequently affirmed the judgment of the trial tribunal which had upheld the declaration of Yahaya as governor.

In the other judgment delivered by Justice Folasade Ojo, the appellate court also dismissed the appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Nafiu Bala.

Ojo held that the appeal was without merit and affirmed the judgment of the tribunal.(NAN)