On Wednesday, the Supreme Court affirmed Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s victory in the Adamawa State gubernatorial election. The court, composed of a five-member panel, unanimously rejected an appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Senator Aisha Dahiru, also known as Binani, challenging the election outcome, which took place on March 18, 2023.

The appellants, represented by Chief Akinolu Olujimi, SAN, argued for the nullification of Governor Fintiri’s victory, contesting the validity of the election results declared in favor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

Senator Dahiru emphasized her claim to the majority of valid votes and urged the court to address the legitimacy of the Returning Officer’s role in gubernatorial elections. In response, Governor Fintiri, represented by Mr. Damian Dodo, SAN, defended his victory, asserting his compliance with legal requirements and the acquisition of the majority of lawful votes.

Similarly, both the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) supported Governor Fintiri’s victory, urging the dismissal of the appeal.

Previously, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal dismissed Senator Dahiru’s appeal on December 18, 2023, deeming it vague and incompetent. The court upheld Governor Fintiri’s victory and rejected calls to revoke his Certificate of Return.

Disappointed with the verdict, Senator Dahiru and the APC appealed to the Supreme Court, where they were unsuccessful.

During the supplementary election in Adamawa State, Governor Fintiri garnered 430,861 votes, surpassing Senator Dahiru’s 398,788 votes. Dissatisfied with the results, Senator Dahiru contested the election, citing electoral malpractices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. However, her petition was dismissed by the tribunal and subsequently affirmed by the appellate court.

The appellate court highlighted the appellants’ failure to provide substantial evidence of electoral irregularities and emphasized the exclusive authority of Returning Officers in declaring election results.

Earlier, the Federal High Court in Abuja had authorized INEC to prosecute its suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Yunusa-Ari, for alleged misconduct during the gubernatorial election.

Yunusa-Ari’s premature declaration of the APC candidate as the winner during the supplementary poll led to his suspension by INEC, underscoring the importance of procedural integrity in electoral processes.