TheCable

The supreme court has dismissed the appeal filed by Umar Ardo, governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), against the election of Ahmadu Fintiri as Adamawa governor.

At the hearing on Wednesday, a five-member panel of the apex court led by John Okoro, persuaded the appellants, through their lawyer, Sylvester Imanugbe, to withdraw the appeal.

The panel observed that the appeal lacked merit.

Imanugbe then withdrew the appeal and it was accordingly dismissed.

Ardo and his party filed a petition at the state governorship election tribunal after Fintiri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared winner of the poll.

The petitioner had sought the nullification of Fintiri’s election on the grounds that there was substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, corrupt practices, threats and violence during the voting exercise.

However, the tribunal led by Theodora Uloho, dismissed the petition for being incompetent and not properly filed.

Ardo had appealed the tribunal’s judgment.

In its judgment, the appeal court agreed with the conclusions of the tribunal.

The appellate court held that the appellants did not prove the allegations of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, against INEC.

He said there was no basis to grant the appeal.

“This appeal is bereft of merit. The decision of the tribunal dismissing the petition is hereby affirmed,” the court held.