Deputy Governor Aminu Abdullahi Alkali of Taraba State has expressed confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Kefas Agbu will secure victory at the Supreme Court.
Challenging the March 18, 2024, gubernatorial election results, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its candidate, Prof Yahaya Sani, have contested the victory of the governor and the PDP.
Deputy Governor Alkali attended the Supreme Court session on Wednesday where the appeal filed by NNPP and Sani was being heard.
He stated that the court has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring justice prevails without any miscarriage.
This follows the plea by the lead counsel to Agbu and the PDP, Kanu Agabi, SAN, urging the apex court to dismiss the appeal due to its lack of merit and substance.
Agabi argued that the appeal was flawed in its presentation and lacked the necessary competence to be considered.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) supported the governor’s legal team’s arguments in resolving the election dispute.
However, the lead counsel to NNPP and Sani, Olusegun Jolaawo, SAN, appealed to the Justices to consider their case and grant the reliefs sought.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had previously affirmed Kefas Agbu’s election as the governor of Taraba State. In its judgment, the appellate court stated that the allegations of non-compliance, irregularities, and malpractices were not substantiated by the appellants in line with legal requirements.
The Court of Appeal also criticized the appellants for failing to adequately support their allegations with oral evidence and dismissed the appeal as incompetent and lacking in merit due to incomplete records.
Earlier, the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, led by Justice G. A. Sunmonu, had on September 30, 2023, dismissed the NNPP’s petition for lacking in merit.
The final decision on the appeal will be eagerly awaited, as it could determine the outcome of the gubernatorial election in Taraba State.
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