The Supreme Courtroom on Thursday reserved judgments on the appeals towards the governorships of Kano and Bauchi states.
The five-member panel led by John Okoro stayed the appeals after listening to the events' arguments.
Kano State Governor and New Nigeria Peoples' Celebration candidate, Abba Yusuf, is interesting the selections of the decrease courts that declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, the winner of the March 18 elections declared.
In the meantime, Sodique Abubakar of the APC is difficult the judgments of the Courtroom of Enchantment and Tribunal that upheld the election of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Through the proceedings on Thursday, counsel to Kano Governor, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the apex courtroom to reverse the dismissal of his shopper, saying the Kano case was the primary time within the annals of electoral case regulation was that an election was declared null and void on the grounds that the ballots weren’t signed or stamped on the again.
“The judgment of the decrease courts is grossly unfair to the appellant and we urge Your Honor to overturn it. The problem of Abba's membership of the NNPP is a pre-election matter. The appellate courtroom had no jurisdiction to listen to the case,” Olanipekun argued.
However the counsel to the APC, Akin Olujimi (SAN), urged the apex courtroom to affirm the judgments of the decrease courts dismissing Yusuf and declaring Gawuna the winner of the ballot.
Olujimi contested Olanipekun, arguing that the Electoral Act mandated INEC chairmen to signal on the again of poll papers.
On the difficulty of get together membership, Olujinmi argued that the NNPP membership register didn’t embrace Abba Yusuf's identify.
Advisor to INEC, AB. Mahmoud (SAN) supported Olanipekun's arguments and urged the courtroom to substantiate Yusuf because the legitimate winner of the ballot.
The INEC lawyer mentioned the judgments dismissing Yusuf have been flawed.
The counsel for the NNPP, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), argued that his shopper mustn’t endure due to INEC’s lack of ability to signal the disputed ballots.
“My view is that elections are the folks's determination. The tribunal acquired it incorrect when it recounted the ballots in its chambers,” he mentioned.
He urged the apex courtroom to reinstate Abba Yusuf's 165,165 canceled votes and ensure his election.
After listening to the events, the apex courtroom reserved its judgment till a date to be introduced to the events.
In reference to the Bauchi enchantment, Abubakar's lawyer, Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), urged the apex courtroom to reverse the choice of the decrease courtroom declaring Governor Mohammed the winner of the ballot.
However counsel to the governor, Chris Uche (SAN), termed the enchantment pointless and urged the apex courtroom to dismiss it and uphold his shopper's assurance of victory on the decrease courtroom.
Uche mentioned: “The appellants by no means introduced witnesses to talk on the election papers submitted to the tribunal. That they had no materials to help their case. I urge my Lords to dismiss this enchantment.”
The panel additionally deferred its judgment till a date to be communicated to the events.