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Ganduje, Lalong, Tambuwal Win at tribunal, PDP to Appeal Verdict
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday upheld the election of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje after dismissing the appeal filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) candidate, Abba Kabiru Yusuf for lack of merit.
Speaking with Journalists after the judgement, PDP Chairman, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, confirmed that PDP would appeal the tribunal’s resolution, insisting that it would exhaust all legal means to redeem its victory.
Bichi, who cautioned party supporters to remain calm and law abiding pending the final determination of the suit at the upper courts, stressed that the tribunal’s ruling could be faulted.
In his ruling that lasted four hours, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammad Halima Shamaki maintained that Abba and PDP’s petition did not lead credible evidence in the case.
Mohammad said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) decision to conduct the March 23, 2019 supplementary election was not a unilateral action, but a collective endorsement of all party agents including the PDP.
The tribunal disclosed that INEC complied with all known rules and regulations, electoral act and constitutional provision to declare the March 9 poll inclusive and organised a rerun election.
However, a former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Muhammad Garba has urged Abba and his supporters to accept the ruling in good faith.
Besides, the Plateau State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos dismissed the petition brought before it by PDP gubernatorial candidate, General Jeremiah Timbut Useni challenging the election of Governor Simon Bako Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Having reviewed the arguments and final written addresses of all the parties and those of their witnesses, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
No fewer than 71 witnesses called by the petitioners to prove over-voting, non-compliance with the Electoral Act and election malpractices among others, failed to prove their assertions, saying the allegation of over-voting was like a pack of cards, which has no basis in law.
The three–man panel headed by Justice Halimat Saleeman added that the evidence of the witnesses collapsed ab initio and should be discountenanced.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the petition filed against the election of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
The three-man panel in a unanimous decision upheld Tambuwal’s election as Governor of Sokoto State in a sitting that lasted over eight hours.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Abbas Abdullahi, it held that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of over-voting, electoral frauds and partial non-compliance.
The APC and its governorship candidate, Ahmed Aliyu, had taken Tambuwal, PDP and INEC to the tribunal, challenging INEC’s return of Tambuwal as winner of the March 9 election and March 23 re-run poll.
The Guardian
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.
Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of the son of a former Jigawa State governor, challenging the decision of the trial court, which convicted him for failing to declare $40,000 at Kano airport.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court panel dismissed the appeal of Aminu Sule Lamido, the son of former governor Sule Lamido, for lack of merit.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Aminu on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport while preparing to travel to Cairo, Egypt.
The prosecution said Aminu declared $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), but was found with an additional $40,000, which was not disclosed on his currency declaration form.
The EFCC charged him before the Federal High Court in Kano on a one-count offence of false declaration of foreign currency, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
On July 12, 2015, the court convicted Aminu and ordered him to forfeit 25 per cent of the undeclared sum to the Federal government.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aminu approached the Court of Appeal in Kaduna to overturn the conviction and set aside the forfeiture order.
In a judgment delivered on December 7, 2015, however, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of former governor Lamido, his two sons, and others, over alleged N1.35billion fraud, should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A five-member panel of the apex court issued the directive in two unanimous judgments, in the two appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the trial court, which dismissed the no-case submission filed by the Lamidos and held that the defendants had a case to answer.
Both appeals were against the July 25, 2023, judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the no-case submission made by Lamido and others and struck out the 37-count charge on which they were being prosecuted, on the grounds that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
In the lead judgments of the Supreme Court, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the earlier decision by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions by Lamido and others and ordered them to enter their defence.
The EFCC, in the 37-count charge, among others, accused Lamido of abusing his position as a governor between 2007 and 2015, allegedly laundering sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The other defendants charged alongside Lamido are his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar and their companies – Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
