Umbugadu vs Gov Sule: Appeal Court Concludes Hearing Nasarawa Governorship Dispute

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the judgment of the lower tribunal, which sacked him from office and declared David Umbugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Naija News reports that the three-member Appeal panel presided over by Justice Onyemenam Uchechukwu reserved its decision after taking arguments from counsel to all the parties.

The appellate court reserved Judgment to a date that would be communicated to all parties.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner after he polled 347,209 votes, with his closest challenger, David Umbugadu of the PDP, who scored 283,016 votes, coming second.

Not satisfied with INEC’s declaration, the PDP and its candidate approached the governorship election petition tribunal to challenge the declaration on the grounds that he won the election and not Sule.

On the 2nd October 2023, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi of the governorship election petition tribunal, in a split judgment of 2 against 1, declared David Umbugadu of the PDP as the rightful winner of the March 18th Governorship election, having polled 293,287 legitimate votes while Abdullahi Sule of the APC garnered 292,446 votes.

But the minority judgment delivered by Justice Ibrahim Mashi of the lower tribunal ruled that Abdullahi Sule of the APC won the election with 295,402 votes while David Umbugadu of the PDP came second with 291,603 votes.

Abdullahi Sule of the APC and David Umbugadu of the PDP appealed the judgment; while Abdullahi Sule appealed the majority judgment, removing him from office, David Umbugadu appealed the minority judgment, which upheld Abdullahi Sule’s election.

During the appellate court hearing, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), representing Governor Abdullahi Sule, urged the appellate court to allow the appeal and set aside the lower court’s judgment.

He also urged the appellate court to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by David Umbugadu of the PDP for lacking in merit.

Olanipekun urged the Appeal Court to uphold the minority judgment of the lower court, which affirmed the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule.

While Kanu Agabi (SAN), representing David Umbugadu and the PDP, prayed to the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the tribunal’s judgment.