Appeal court gives crucial verdict over ex-Gombe gov’s senatorial seat

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has confirmed Danjuma Goje's victory as the senator representing the Gombe Central senatorial district.

An appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Abubakar Aliyu, regarding the February 25 senatorial election has been rejected by a three-member panel of judges, Daily Trust reported.

The panel upheld the decision of the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Gombe, which had previously dismissed Aliyu and the PDP's petition against Goje and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The petitioners, led by their counsel Edwin Okoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had alleged significant rigging and irregularities during the election, implicating Goje, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, the three-judge panel, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, upheld the tribunal's decision and dismissed the petition, citing the petitioners' failure to provide evidence supporting their claim that Goje had participated in the PDP's primary election.

In another report, Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party (LP) has been declared the winner of the House of Representative polls for the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency.

This was according to the ruling of the appellate court sitting in Lagos on Friday, November 3. Hon. Ogah's means the appellate court reversed the verdict of the election petition tribunal that earlier affirmed Nkiruka Onyejeocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC).