Rulings On Ganduje, Tambuwal Doused Tension On Imo; Lalong Wins As Mbaka Visits Ortom

By Uche Mbah

The Supreme Court ruling Monday on the governorship elections in Kano and Sokoto states appear to have diverted attention from opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s protest against the same court’s ruling on Imo state.

Recall that the Supreme Court had ruled that the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Imo state, hope Uzodinma, is the rightful winner of the election.

Though Uzodinma has been sworn in, the PDP staged peaceful protests against the ruling. The protests attracted few party faithfuls.

Political watchers, however, were of the opinion that the protests were not done to reverse the ruling, which cannot be done unless the same Supreme Court revisits the case, but to sway public opinion for the Apex Court to see their activities as the pulse of the nation and rule accordingly in the remaining cases before the Supreme court.

It is, however, believed that the Supreme court rules by the letters of the Law and not swayed by Public opinion, except where national interest in involved.

Predictably, however, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous Judgement delivered by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta on behalf of six other Justices upheld the ruling of the Appellate Court upholding the election of the incumbent governor of Kano state, Umar Ganduje. He is of the All Progressives Congress.

In the same vein, the election of the governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, was also upheld by the Supreme Court. which dismissed the appeal by the APC against the incumbent by their candidate, Ahmed Aliyu. This, again, did not come as a surprise. Justice Uwani Aba Aji read the Judgement on behalf of six other Justices.

The apex court also upheld the election of Simon Lalong of Plateau state, who was being challenged by Jeremaiah Useni of the PDP. Lalong is of the APC.

Most judgements under the current Chief Justice, Mohamed Tanko, are unanimous without minority Judgement.

Two other governors, Bala Mohamed of Bauchi and Samuel Ortom of Benue are also expected to know their fate today. After the Imo state Judgement, reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, who was said to have predicted the outcome of the Imo Elections, was reported to have visited Governor Ortom of Benue State.