A Court of Appeal has affirmed the election of Mr. Abubakar Bello as the duly elected governor of Niger State.

The court gave the affirmation, on Saturday, in a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-man panel of Justices, while ruling on the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the March 9 poll, Umar Nasko.

It held that it lacked the jurisdiction to enter judgment against Mr. Bello as the appellants failed to conclude their petition within 180 days, as stipulated by Section 294 Sub-Section 2 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, who read the lead judgment, insisted that election matters must be concluded within the 180 days prescribed by law.

The judge held that having failed to do that, the appeal filed by the PDP and its candidate has failed and was subsequently dismissed. (Channels TV)