Judicial Victory: Supreme Court Solidifies Ahmed Aliyu’s Tenure As Sokoto Governor

In a resounding legal affirmation, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Ahmed Aliyu’s position as the Governor of Sokoto State, delivering a decisive blow to the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Saidu Umar……CONTINUE READING

Justice Tijjani Abubakar, leading a five-member panel, dismissed the appeal on grounds of lacking merit, bringing to a close a protracted legal battle that ensued after Aliyu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner with 453,661 votes in the governorship election. Umar, his PDP rival, secured 404,632 votes.

The legal skirmish took a contentious turn as Umar alleged forgery of certificates by Governor Aliyu and his running mate, Idris Gobir, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Additionally, the petitioners levied accusations of electoral fraud during the poll.

However, both the tribunal and the appellate court found the petitioners’ arguments insufficient, with the tribunal citing the failure to prove the six grounds outlined in their petition.

The appellate court, in a November judgment, further deemed much of the evidence presented by the petitioners as legally inadmissible.

With the resounding dismissal by the Supreme Court, Ahmed Aliyu’s governorship remains intact, securing not only a legal triumph but also solidifying the mandate bestowed upon him by the people of Sokoto.

As the legal dust settles, Governor Aliyu can now focus on the governance of Sokoto State with renewed confidence, while his adversaries face the stark reality of a definitive legal defeat.