Richard Elesho/ Lokoja
The Supreme Court has finally adjudicated on the Kogi People’s Democratic Party, PDP Governorship tucket. The court dismissed the appeal brought by Alhaji Abubakar Idris and upheld the Primary election victory of Engr. Musa Wada.
The four man panel of the Apex Court led by Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, CFR on Friday , June 26, affirmed Wada as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the November 16, 2019 election in Kogi State.
The News reports that the pre-election suit was filled at Lokoja High Court 4 alleging gross malpractices during the Sept. 3rd PDP Primary at the Confluence Stadium Lokoja.
Wada was declared winner by the Governor Fintiri led electoral committee, but Abubakar cried blue murder citing gross electoral malpractices against the declared winner.
Abubakar, son of former Governor Ibrahim Idris promptly pulled all the strings in the party to seek redress. When that failed, he took his grievances to the High Court. The court said the controversial primary was not valid and returned a verdict of no Victor, no Vanquished.
Both parnties proceeded to the Court of Appeals to test the ruling. The Appeal court returned a non declaratory ruling. The court recognised the validity of the PDP Primary but kept mum on the winner.
Still dissatisfied both parties headed to the Apex court, which has now affirmed Wada as the validly nominated candidate of the party.
With the judgement, Wada and the PDP will now concentrate more on efforts to upturn Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress, APC victory in the November 16th Governorship election. The case is at the Appeal Court. The Election Tribunal in a split judgement of 2 to 1 had affirmed Bello’s election not long ago.