The Supreme Court has upheld the election victory of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, dismissing an appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Senator Aisha Dahiru, challenging the outcome of the gubernatorial election held on March 18, 2023.
In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, the apex court affirmed Governor Fintiri’s victory and dismissed the appeal for lacking merit.
The appellants had contested the election results, alleging irregularities and seeking to nullify Fintiri’s re-election.
During the proceedings, the APC and Senator Dahiru argued that she had secured the majority of valid votes and should be declared the winner.
However, Governor Fintiri and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urged the court to validate the election results, asserting that Fintiri had lawfully won the majority of votes.
In delivering the judgement, the apex court panel, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, emphasized the exclusive authority of the Returning Officer to declare election results, denouncing the actions of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who had declared Senator Dahiru as the winner.
The court reaffirmed the electoral process and upheld the validity of Governor Fintiri’s election victory.
The decision of the Supreme Court echoes previous rulings by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal and the Adamawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which had both dismissed Senator Dahiru’s appeals.
Despite the appellant’s arguments, the courts found no evidence of electoral fraud or irregularities sufficient to overturn Governor Fintiri’s victory.
The appellate court had earlier affirmed the tribunal’s decision, emphasizing the lack of credible evidence to substantiate the appellants’ claims of electoral malpractice.
Additionally, it underscored the statutory role of the Returning Officer in declaring election results, dismissing any alternative declarations made by unauthorized individuals.
The Supreme Court’s verdict marks the culmination of legal battles surrounding the Adamawa gubernatorial election, affirming Governor Fintiri’s mandate to lead the state.
The decision reinforces the principles of electoral integrity and the rule of law in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had initially declared Governor Fintiri as the winner of the supplementary election, securing a total of 430,861 votes.
Following the electoral dispute, the courts have now definitively upheld Fintiri’s victory, bringing closure to the legal contestation.
