The Supreme Court takes concluding arguments today amidst the likelihood of a ruling on the validity of the victory of Chief Willy Obiano as governor.

At the apex court, the plaintiffs, Senator Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are contending that Obiano was not qualified to contest the governorship election, having allegedly submitted a forged document to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of his pre-qualification and also that Obiano was involved in multiple registration on the voters’ register.

On July 26, the five-man panel of five justices at Appeal Court sitting in Enugu led by Hon. Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba unanimously dismissed the four separate appeals brought before it by the APC and its governorship candidate, Chris Ngige, the PDP and its candidate Tony Nwoye and Dr. Chike Obidigbo for lack of merit.

In the November 16, 17 and 30 governorship election, Nwoye and Ngige, who came second and third respectively behind Obiano, had proceeded to the Appeal Court after losing at the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal presided over by Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello. The tribunal on June 4 in Awka upheld the victory of Obiano, declaring that he was validly elected and that the November governorship poll complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

At the appeal court, Ngige and Nwoye had canvassed for a cancellation of the election and a fresh election conducted because of irregularities during the election and the double registration by Obiano. Obidigbo, who stood as an APGA governorship aspirant, wanted the appeal court to declare him the rightful candidate of the party after he emerged the candidate of another faction of the party. He also canvassed a cancellation of the election and the conduct of a fresh election.

Although the National Chairman of APGA had expressed confidence that the party and the governor would always emerge victorious in any court, he had advised the petitioners to see the ruling of the Appeal Court in Enugu “as a final point and join hands with our governor who is running an all inclusive government in Anambra,” and not to take the case to the Supreme Court.

A source disclosed that “if the Supreme Court does not rule on the matter today, then it must be deliver judgment before Friday to meet Electoral Act regulations.”

•Adapted from a Guardian report. Photo shows Chief Justice of the Federation, Aloma Mukhtar.

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