Kogi Governorship: Hope rises for Wada as Supreme Court declares double victories

Musa Wada: PDP candidate for Kogi governorship election

It was double victories for Engr Musa Wada and the PDP on Tuesday as the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC against the use of forensic examination of materials used in the conduct of 2019 gubernatorial election.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of INEC and affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal on the use of forensic examinations of INEC documents, Nigerian Post reports.

In another case, the court held that Wada was qualified to stand in the election.

The apex court allowed the appeal of Engr Musa Wada  as it held that held that the pre-election matter alleging forgery and false information in the primary school certificate submitted by the PDP candidate to contest the election was filed out of time.

The Supreme Court also held that the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja delivered on 25th March 2020 was a nullity because it was delivered without jurisdiction and outside of 180 days allowed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. The judgment of the lower court was declared a nullity.

The appeals were heard by 5 man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court led by Hon Justice Sylvester Nguta JSC. Engr Musa Wada and PDP were represented by Mr Jibrin Samuel Okutepa SAN and A A Malik SAN and host of other lawyers

The two judgements coming from the highest court in the land have reactivated the hope of Wada and the PDP in the effort to reclaim victory in the Kogi Governorship election.