BREAKING: Appeal court affirms Fintiri as Adamawa Governor after dismissing APC appeal

In a landmark decision today, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the victory of Ahmadu Fintiri, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the duly elected governor of Adamawa State. This ruling comes after the court dismissed the appeal filed by Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing a lack of merit in her case.

The judgment, meticulously prepared by Justice Tunde Awotoye and eloquently delivered by Justice Ebiowei Tobi on behalf of a three-member panel, sent shockwaves through the political landscape. Not only did the court affirm Fintiri’s win, but it also awarded a cost of N500,000 in favor of Fintiri and the PDP against Binani, signaling a significant blow to the opposition.

This recent decision echoes the earlier ruling of the Tribunal on October 28, which had dismissed Binani’s petition for failing to substantiate her claims of over-voting. The Tribunal, at the time, criticized Binani for not presenting sufficient evidence to support her allegations, a trend that the Court of Appeal seems to have concurred with in today’s judgment.

A pivotal point in the appellate court’s decision was its disapproval of the premature announcement of the election results by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Ari. Justice Ebiowei Tobi, in delivering the judgment, emphasized the illegal nature of Ari’s action, asserting that only the Returning Officer has the authority to make such declarations. The court condemned the premature announcement as unacceptable and commended the Tribunal for disregarding the controversial action of the REC in its earlier judgment.

“The REC was on his own,” Justice Tobi declared, highlighting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not responsible for the actions of the Resident Electoral Commissioner. The court made it clear that INEC should not be held accountable for the headaches caused by the REC’s improper announcement.

In a unanimous decision, the Appellate Court criticized Binani’s attempt to nullify the electoral outcome, pointing out the inadequacies in her case. The court noted that Binani’s legal team fell short by presenting only three witnesses in an election that spanned 14,104 polling units. This, the court argued, was a weak effort to challenge the electoral process.

Furthermore, the court emphasized that the witnesses brought forth by Binani’s legal team failed to establish that the APC candidate secured the majority of lawful votes. Notably, the witnesses were identified as campaign coordinators and affiliates of the legal team rather than polling unit agents, casting doubt on the credibility of their testimonies.

The court also scrutinized the documents submitted by Binani’s legal team, asserting that they were merely dumped without proper authentication. The justices argued that the failure of the witnesses to identify the documents during the appeal hearing amounted to a disregard for the legal process, characterizing it as the improper dumping of documents on the court.

With this resounding judgment, the Court of Appeal has not only affirmed Fintiri’s position as the governor of Adamawa State but has also sent a strong message about the importance of presenting substantive evidence in electoral disputes. The legal battle, marked by twists and turns, has now reached its conclusion, solidifying Fintiri’s mandate and leaving the opposition to regroup and strategize for future political endeavors.