On Monday, the Supreme Court reserved judgment in the appeal lodged by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Patrick Tonye-Cole, challenging the victory of Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in the recent gubernatorial election.
Tonye-Cole’s appeal is directed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Fubara.
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This case stems from the Appeal Court’s decision on November 28, which dismissed Tonye-Cole’s appeal on the grounds of lacking sufficient and convincing evidence.
The APC governorship candidate argues non-compliance with the Electoral Act and Fubara’s continued signing of documents as the Rivers State’s Accountant-General after his nomination as the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the grounds for the appeal.
However, a five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun reserved judgment on the appeal after all parties in the suit adopted their briefs of arguments.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) challenging the victory of Siminalayi Fubara as the governor of Rivers State. Additionally, the apex court has reserved judgment on the appeal presented by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Patrick Tonye-Cole.
During the proceedings, Innocent Kere, the counsel for APM and its candidate in the last state gubernatorial election, opted to withdraw the appeal, leading to its dismissal by the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court dismisses APM’s appeal against Fubara
Meanwhile, the five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun reserved judgment on the appeal filed by Tonye-Cole and the APC after all parties in the suit adopted their briefs of arguments.
It is noteworthy that the lower courts had previously dismissed all appeals against Fubara and upheld his election.
