Nigerians Celebrate As Court of Appeal Affirms Alex Otti’s Victory, Upholding Him As Governor of Abia State

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has recently dismissed the appeals lodged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and their respective governorship candidates against the election triumph of Governor Alex Otti in Abia State.

The three-man panel of the Appeal Court, in a ruling on Saturday, December 2, 2023, upheld Governor Otti’s victory, emphasizing that it aligns with the provisions of the Electoral Act. The court declared that the petitions brought by the appellants lacked merit, describing them as resembling “a comedy skit brought to a democratic setting.”

Regarding the issues raised about the Bimodial Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) by the PDP and its candidate, the appeal court stated that the appellants failed to establish a connection between their documentary evidence and specific parts of the case.

The judgement has sparked celebrations among Governor Otti’s supporters in various parts of the state.

In another legal development, a Federal High Court in Abuja has imposed a N25 million fine against Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, for violating the fundamental human rights of Alhassan Doguwa, the lawmaker representing Doguwa/Tundun Wada federal constituency at the House of Representatives.

The court ruling came after Doguwa, who was arrested in February, filed a suit seeking an order enforcing his fundamental rights. The court declared the governor’s actions as illegal, unconstitutional, and void, issuing an order of perpetual injunction restraining further interference with Doguwa’s fundamental rights. Additionally, the court awarded general damages of N25 million against the governor for causing psychological pain and damage to Doguwa.

This ruling follows the withdrawal of charges against Doguwa, who had been accused of leading thugs to set ablaze the secretariat of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano, an incident resulting in two deaths. The charges were dropped after the prosecution could not find sufficient evidence to link Doguwa to the offenses.

Source: Bushradiogist