Supreme Court Upholds Election Of Yahaya Bello As Kogi Governor

The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Yahaya Bello as the Governor of Kogi State.

A seven-man panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, in a unanimous judgment, affirmed Bello’s election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

The apex court disagreed with the appeal filed on five grounds by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kogi Governorship Election, Musa Wada.

In the lead judgment read by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the apex court affirmed the July 4, 2020 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja and the May 23, 2020 majority verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal which had both upheld  Bello’s victory at the poll.

Mr Wada had alleged that the election held on November 16, 2019 was marred by serious electoral infractions, rigging and over-voting.

Aside from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, other members of the panel included Justices Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Inyang Okoro, Amina Augie and Uwani Abba-Aji.