The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor of Plateau State.
A seven-man panel of the court was unanimous in holding that the appellants, Jeremiah Useni of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his party failed to prove their case.
Justice Palu Galumje, who read the lead judgment, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
Justice Galumje also dismissed the appeal filed by Lalong on the grounds that having dismissed the appeal by Useni, the other appeal had become academic
Supreme court upholds election of Lalong
by The Cable
The supreme court has upheld the elections of Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Lalong, who contested the March election under the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner, but Jeremiah Useni, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, had challenged his victory.
Useni, who had earlier lost at the tribunal and court of appeal, had alleged that Lalong was not qualified to contest the election because he “supplied false information” to INEC in his form CF100. According to him, Lalong lied when he told INEC that he has no other names except Simon Lalong Bako and has never changed his names.
He presented several documents, including an affidavit of change of name from Sule Simon Lalong to Lalung Simon Bako.
The appellant also alleged that the governor was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast in the election and his return by INEC was unlawful.
He also accused the governor of non-compliance with the electoral act.
Useni, in his appeal before the supreme court, marked SC/1501/19 submitted that the tribunal and the court of appeal failed to properly evaluate his case before passing judgment.
However, the apex court in its judgment read by Paul Galinje held that the appellant failed to prove his allegation.
The court held that the constitutional requirements for any person contesting for governor are that he must be a citizen of Nigeria, he must have attained the age of 35, he must belong to a political party and must have at least a primary school certificate. The apex court said Lalong has satisfied all the requirements by law.
“Also, the appellants failed to prove that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the electoral act,” the court added.
“On the whole, this appeal fails and it is dismissed by law.”