By Nudoiba Ojen
The Supreme Court, on Friday, upheld the electoral victory of Governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State in last year’s governorship election in their states.
In the Ogun State matter where the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Ladi Adebutu, challenged the victory of Prince Abiodun of All Progressives Congress, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, held that Abiodun won the election.
The apex court, in its lead judgment prepared by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, dismissed Adebutu’s appeal as lacking in merit, adding that the court found no reason to nullify Abiodun’s victory, saying, “This appeal is unmeritorious, and it is accordingly dismissed”.
Also in the Delta State challenge, the Supreme Court affirmed the election victory of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of PDP Delta State in a unanimous decision of a five-member panel.
The court, in its lead judgment that was delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, held that the appeal lacked merit, saying that APC and its candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, did not prove that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2023.
The court dismissed Omo-Agege’s contention that some of the result sheets that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, relied upon to declare Oborevwori as the winner of the election, did not have serial numbers.
According to the court, even if the total number of INEC forms that the appellants complained about are removed, it would still not affect the margin of lead that was in Oborevwori’s favour.
It held that the Appellants failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law to warrant the setting aside of both the Court of Appeal judgment and the verdict of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
