Wada Vs Ibrahim: Supreme Court Fixes Tuesday For Kogi PDP Governorship Ticket
Unless any last minute change, the Supreme Court will deliver judgment on Tuesday June 16 to determine the authentic winner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries for the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Kogi State.
The first runner up of the governorships primaries, Abubakar Ibrahim had approached Lokoja High Court to challenge the outcome of the primary election and prayed to be declared the winner having scored the highest number of valid votes.
In his argument, Abubakar Ibrahim, alleged that the winner of the primary election, Musa Wada, brought six hundred ballot to the private resident where the September 3, 2019 PDP governorship primary election in Kogi was collated.
The PDP governorship primaries which was conducted at the Lokoja, Confluence Stadium was
disrupted by gunmen at the commencement of the sorting of the ballot and was subsequently moved to private residence where the final collation was done.
Musa Wada was eventually declared the winner of the governorship primary election and Abubakar Ibrahim approached Lokoja High to challenge the outcome.
The Lokoja High Court Ruling
In its judgment, the Lokoja High faulted the entire process of the PDP governorship primaries and declared it null and void on the ground that the PDP couldn't have produced a winner through the faulty process of the primary election, adding that the party has no candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.
Appeal Court Ruling
Both parties approached Appeal Court to set aside the judgment of Lokoja High Court on the ground that the judgment fall short of their prayers. While Musa Wada argued that he was the authentic winner of the election, Abubakar Ibrahim, also prayed the appellate court to declare him the winner of the election.
Counsel to Abubabar Ibrahim, Otaru Rowland, SAN, in his brief at the appellate court stated that the judgment of Lokoja High Court overran the runway because it granted prayers that were never pleaded by the petitioner while the Court overlooked the missing 241 votes and 600 ballot allegedly taken in by the winner of the primary election.
In his own argument, the counsel to Musa Wada, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, said the Lokoja High Court failed to meet the expectations of the winner, reiterating that the September 3, PDP governorship primaries was free, fair, credible and won by Musa Wada.
In its judgment, the panel of Justices drawn from Edo, Kwara and Benue set aside the judgment of the Lokoja High Court and affirmed the victory of Musa Wada.
The Issue Before Supreme Court To Decide On Tuesday
Dissatisfied with the judgment of the appellate court, Abubakar Ibrahim, approached Supreme Court to seek for 'Justice' arguing that he is the authentic candidate of the party.
The apex court will determine on Tuesday who was the authentic winner of the September 3 PDP governorship election in Kogi State.
If the supreme Court affirms the victory of Musa Wada, he will have no problem and continue with his ongoing legal battle at the Appeal Court with the winner of the governorship election, Governor Yahaya Bello of APC.
However, if the Supreme Court answers the prayer of Abubakar Ibrahim and declare him the winner of the primary election, he will inherit the 189,704 votes of Musa Wada during the governorship election and may carry on with the ongoing legal battle against Yahaya Bello.
What may be bad for PDP is for Supreme Court to uphold the judgment of the Lokoja High that faulted the process of the primary election and held that PDP didn't have candidate for the November 16 governorship election.
If this happens, the internal wrangling of PDP will cause them to lose Kogi State and Yahaya Bello will be sure of retaining his position till 2023.
The first runner up of the governorships primaries, Abubakar Ibrahim had approached Lokoja High Court to challenge the outcome of the primary election and prayed to be declared the winner having scored the highest number of valid votes.
In his argument, Abubakar Ibrahim, alleged that the winner of the primary election, Musa Wada, brought six hundred ballot to the private resident where the September 3, 2019 PDP governorship primary election in Kogi was collated.
The PDP governorship primaries which was conducted at the Lokoja, Confluence Stadium was
disrupted by gunmen at the commencement of the sorting of the ballot and was subsequently moved to private residence where the final collation was done.
Musa Wada was eventually declared the winner of the governorship primary election and Abubakar Ibrahim approached Lokoja High to challenge the outcome.
The Lokoja High Court Ruling
In its judgment, the Lokoja High faulted the entire process of the PDP governorship primaries and declared it null and void on the ground that the PDP couldn't have produced a winner through the faulty process of the primary election, adding that the party has no candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.
Appeal Court Ruling
Both parties approached Appeal Court to set aside the judgment of Lokoja High Court on the ground that the judgment fall short of their prayers. While Musa Wada argued that he was the authentic winner of the election, Abubakar Ibrahim, also prayed the appellate court to declare him the winner of the election.
Counsel to Abubabar Ibrahim, Otaru Rowland, SAN, in his brief at the appellate court stated that the judgment of Lokoja High Court overran the runway because it granted prayers that were never pleaded by the petitioner while the Court overlooked the missing 241 votes and 600 ballot allegedly taken in by the winner of the primary election.
In his own argument, the counsel to Musa Wada, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, said the Lokoja High Court failed to meet the expectations of the winner, reiterating that the September 3, PDP governorship primaries was free, fair, credible and won by Musa Wada.
In its judgment, the panel of Justices drawn from Edo, Kwara and Benue set aside the judgment of the Lokoja High Court and affirmed the victory of Musa Wada.
The Issue Before Supreme Court To Decide On Tuesday
Dissatisfied with the judgment of the appellate court, Abubakar Ibrahim, approached Supreme Court to seek for 'Justice' arguing that he is the authentic candidate of the party.
The apex court will determine on Tuesday who was the authentic winner of the September 3 PDP governorship election in Kogi State.
If the supreme Court affirms the victory of Musa Wada, he will have no problem and continue with his ongoing legal battle at the Appeal Court with the winner of the governorship election, Governor Yahaya Bello of APC.
However, if the Supreme Court answers the prayer of Abubakar Ibrahim and declare him the winner of the primary election, he will inherit the 189,704 votes of Musa Wada during the governorship election and may carry on with the ongoing legal battle against Yahaya Bello.
What may be bad for PDP is for Supreme Court to uphold the judgment of the Lokoja High that faulted the process of the primary election and held that PDP didn't have candidate for the November 16 governorship election.
If this happens, the internal wrangling of PDP will cause them to lose Kogi State and Yahaya Bello will be sure of retaining his position till 2023.
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