The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has sacked Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and declared David Ombugadu, the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of March 18, 2023 Governorship election in the state.
In a split judgment delivered on Monday, two of the justices agreed that the election was won by the PDP while one judge dissented.
Governor Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) sought re-election for a second term but faced stiff opposition during the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared that Mr Sule polled a total of 347,209 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Mr Ombugadu, who secured 283,016 votes.
Following the declaration, David Ubugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had headed to the tribunal to challenge his opponent’s victory.
But PDP said it’s votes were not added up at the state collection centre and that APC did not win the election.
In its judgement the tribunal ordered the withdrawal of Certificate of Return issued to Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the March 18 election.
The three-man Tribunal headed by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, on Monday, declared Umbugadu as winner of the election .
Reacting to the judgment, former Senate President Bukola Saraki tweeted, “I congratulate Hon. David Ombugadu of our great party, PDP, who has been declared the winner of the Nasarawa State Governorship election by the Nasarawa State Election Petition Tribunal. This judicial victory is a resounding affirmation of the people’s will, and it serves as a reminder that democracy is and must always be the bedrock of our nation.”