L
LequteMan
Guest
The Supreme Court has revealed the reasons it affirmed PDP's Udom Emmanuel as the validly elected governor of Akwa Ibom state.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had nullified the Akwa Ibom governorship election of April 11 and ordered a rerun in 18 of the 31 local governments.
Justice Chima Nweze, who gave the reasons, said the Appeal Court's decision was a mis-judgment based on only facts and not on the provisions of the laws.
“From the study of the evidence brought before us Udom Emmanuel won the highest lawfully cast votes.
“This has placed the court to set aside the judgments of the two lower courts as the other parties challenging his victory could prove otherwise.
“The lower courts were wrong to have cancelled elections in 18 and subsequently the entire 31 Local Government Areas of the state on the basis of non-compliance,’’ he held.
“While we commend the introduction of the card readers, the innovation, however, cannot supersede the voters register.
“The extant laws of the federation provides for the use of voters register but the card reader irrespective of its importance does not have a place in any extant law of the land,’’ Nweze held.
Nweze, therefore, held that the tribunal was wrong to base it judgment on non-compliance with the use of card readers.
On allegation of violence and irregularities during the election, Nweze said Umana Umana and the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to prove the allegations.
While noting that INEC had power to make subsidiary regulations regarding conduct of election, Nweze held that the regulations must conform to constitutional provisions. The justice also held that the extant laws did not give room for arbitrary nullification of an election.
Justices Mary Peter-Odili and Clara Ogunbiyi hinged on the above reasons to justify the return of Delta,Yobe and Oyo States governors.
Sahara Reporters
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had nullified the Akwa Ibom governorship election of April 11 and ordered a rerun in 18 of the 31 local governments.
Justice Chima Nweze, who gave the reasons, said the Appeal Court's decision was a mis-judgment based on only facts and not on the provisions of the laws.
“From the study of the evidence brought before us Udom Emmanuel won the highest lawfully cast votes.
“This has placed the court to set aside the judgments of the two lower courts as the other parties challenging his victory could prove otherwise.
“The lower courts were wrong to have cancelled elections in 18 and subsequently the entire 31 Local Government Areas of the state on the basis of non-compliance,’’ he held.
“While we commend the introduction of the card readers, the innovation, however, cannot supersede the voters register.
“The extant laws of the federation provides for the use of voters register but the card reader irrespective of its importance does not have a place in any extant law of the land,’’ Nweze held.
Nweze, therefore, held that the tribunal was wrong to base it judgment on non-compliance with the use of card readers.
On allegation of violence and irregularities during the election, Nweze said Umana Umana and the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to prove the allegations.
While noting that INEC had power to make subsidiary regulations regarding conduct of election, Nweze held that the regulations must conform to constitutional provisions. The justice also held that the extant laws did not give room for arbitrary nullification of an election.
Justices Mary Peter-Odili and Clara Ogunbiyi hinged on the above reasons to justify the return of Delta,Yobe and Oyo States governors.
Sahara Reporters
