Nasarawa guber tussle: Supreme Court delays verdict after hearing PDP appeal

In a move likely to prolong the political uncertainty in Nasarawa State, the Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the reinstatement of Governor Abdullahi Sule.

The apex court, presided over by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, opted to delay reaching a decision after hearing arguments from both parties. This comes after the Court of Appeal earlier reinstated Sule following his initial ouster by the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The PDP’s appeal hinges on their claims of irregularities in the March 2023 elections, which they maintain should have led to the nullification of Sule’s victory.

Kekere-Ekun noted that parties would be notified when judgment is ready.

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The state election petition tribunal had sacked the governor and declared David Ombugadu, candidate of the PDP the winner of the March 18, 2023 election.

The tribunal led by Ezekiel Ajayi, in a split decision of two-to-one, had held that having evaluated the evidence before the panel, the PDP candidate substantiated his claim that the poll results were manipulated in favour of Sule.

But the appeal court reinstated Sule and held that the tribunal wrongly relied on the evidence of eight of the PDP witnesses, whose statements on oath were not front-loaded alongside the petition.

Ombugadu, however, appealed the judgment at the apex court.

With the Supreme Court yet to issue its verdict, the fate of Nasarawa’s top political office remains in limbo, causing a sense of anxious anticipation among the state’s populace.

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