The Supreme Court has today Thursday affirmed Ahmed Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as duly elected Governor of Sokoto State.
The apex court dismissed the appeal filed by the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Sai’du Umar, against the concurrent judgments of the Sokoto State Election Petitions Tribunal and Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld the election of Aliyu
Umar had contested Aliyu’s victory, alleging certificate forgery and electoral irregularities. He specifically claimed that the governor and his deputy lacked school leaving certificates. Both the Sokoto State Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Abuja had earlier upheld Aliyu’s election victory.
The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Ita George Mbaba, dismissed the appeal, affirming that Aliyu’s legal team presented evidence demonstrating his education up to the secondary school level. The appellate court also agreed with the Tribunal that the witnesses presented by the PDP were incompetent.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Tijani Abubakar, the Supreme Court concurred with the lower courts, affirming the decision of the trial Tribunal.
Justice Abubakar declared the appeal devoid of merit and subsequently dismissed it.
