The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, reserved judgment in the appeal by Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State seeking to affirm his election, which the Court of Appeal nullified in November last year. The appeal also challenges the election of Sheriff Oborevwor as the governor of Delta State.
The five-member panel of Justices of the Apex Court, led by Justice John Inyang Okoro, reserved judgments in the two appeals to a date that would be communicated to the parties after the adoption of their briefs in the matter.
Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 525,299 votes to beat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nentawe Yilwatda, who scored 481,370 votes during the March 18, 2023, governorship election in Plateau State.
While the governor’s election was upheld by the Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sat in Jos, the state capital, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, in its judgment delivered on November 19, 2023, overturned his victory, prompting him to file an appeal at the Supreme Court to challenge the lower court’s decision.
At the hearing of the appeal on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments from lawyers representing the parties in the case, and they adopted their briefs of arguments. The court reserved judgment to a date that would be communicated to the parties.
Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) represented Governor Mutfwang, and Yilwatda was represented by Mr. J.O Olatoke.
The Supreme Court is expected to deliver a verdict on the matter before January 16, when the appeal will expire.
Similarly, the Court reserved judgment in an appeal against the election of Sheriff Oborevwori as the governor of Delta State.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos had, in a judgment, affirmed the election of Sheriff Oborevwori as the governor of Delta State and dismissed the appeal filed by Ovie Omo-Agege, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State.
The appellate court dismissed Omo-Agege’s appeal for lacking merit.
On September 29, 2023, the Delta governorship petition tribunal affirmed Oborevwori’s election on the grounds that the issues raised in challenging his election were speculative, as the petitioners failed to prove allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and corrupt practices beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Oborevwori, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the governorship election held on March 18.
Oborevwori polled 360,234 votes to defeat Omo-Agege, who secured 240,229 votes.