The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Tuesday reserved judgments in two appeals challenging the decision Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which upheld the election of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
One of the appeals was filed by the All Progressives Congress and its candidate in the election, James Faleke, while the other appeal was filed by the immediate past governor of the state, Idris Wada, who was the People Democratic Partyý’s candidate in the election.
A five-man panel, led by Justice Jumai Hanatu Sanki, reserved judgment on the appeals after hearing parties who adopted their briefs of argument on Tuesday.
She said a date for judgments would be communicated to the parties.
At the hearing of the appeals on Tuesday, Faleke’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the court to set aside the decision of the tribunal.
Olanipekun equally urged the court to void Bello’s election on the grounds that he (Bello) was not properly nominated.
He argued that Bello did not participate in all the electioneering processes as required by law before he emerged as his party’s candidate in the re-run election.
Olanipekun urged the court to allow the appeal and declare Faleke the proper person for the governorship seat.
Lawyer to Independent National Electoral Commission, Ahmed Raji, asked the court to uphold Bello’s election on the grounds that he was properly nominated by the APC as a replacement to Abubakar Audu, who died during the election.
Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), contended that the issue of nomination of candidates for election was the sole responsibility of a political party.
Daudu contended that Bello, having been nominated by the APC in compliance with the existing law and authority of the party, remained the candidate of his party in the election.
He urged the court to dismiss all the appeals against his client and uphold the decision of the tribunal to the effect that Bello was properly nominated.
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