Legal Challenges Dismissed As Apex Court Upholds Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s Election Victory In Gombe State

In a decisive verdict on Friday morning, the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed the election victory of Inuwa Yahaya, the sitting governor of Gombe State. The court consequently dismissed the appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mohammed Barde, who had contested the governor’s victory, citing alleged vote-buying during the March 18, 2023 election.

Barde’s legal battle began at the State Election Petitions Tribunal, extended to the Appeal Court, and reached its conclusion at the apex court. Despite the PDP candidate’s claims, all three judicial bodies, including the Supreme Court, upheld Inuwa as the duly elected governor, deeming Barde’s petition unmerited.

The five-member panel at the Supreme Court, led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, endorsed the decision of the Court of Appeal, solidifying Inuwa Yahaya’s legitimacy as the governor of Gombe State.

Notably, on the preceding day, the Supreme Court had also dismissed an appeal brought by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate, Nafiu Bala, challenging Governor Inuwa’s victory. The ADC and Bala, despite securing less than 2,000 votes in the election, sought to contest the outcome.

During the court proceedings, the apex court questioned the motives behind the appeal and expressed skepticism about the party and its candidate’s objectives. In response to the court’s stance, the legal representatives of Nafiu Bala and the ADC opted to withdraw the appeal promptly. This withdrawal led to the dismissal of the case by the highest court.

With these successive dismissals at the Supreme Court, Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s victory in the Gombe State governorship election stands affirmed, bringing an end to legal challenges against his electoral success.