The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Saidu Umar, challenging the victory of Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu. The appellate court ruled that most of the evidence presented by the appellants was inadmissible, affirming the tribunal’s decision to expunge incompetent exhibits that were either not pleaded or irrelevant to the case.
The tribunal, led by Justice Haruna Mshelia, had previously held that the petitioners failed to prove the allegations raised in their petition against Governor Aliyu. The petitioners claimed that the governor and his deputy did not secure the majority of valid votes and alleged irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. They also accused the governor and his deputy of submitting forged certificates with variations of names to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The tribunal dismissed the petition and upheld the victory of Governor Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress. Dissatisfied with the judgment, the PDP and Saidu Umar appealed to the Court of Appeal in an attempt to seek redress.