The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as Zamfara Governor.
The apex court struck out the decision of the Court of Appeal Abuja, which had declared the March 18, 2023 governorship election as inconclusive and ordered a re-run in three local government areas of the state.
Recalls that the appellate court had in November nullified Lawal’s election.
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He was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election, dislodging then-incumbent Bello Matawalle, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Lawal polled a total of 377,726 votes while Matawalle scored 311,976 votes.
The APC candidate, now a Minister of State for Defence, had accused INEC of subverting his victory at the poll by failing to include the results of some LGAs.
In an earlier ruling on September 18, the Zamfara Election Petitions Tribunal held that Matawalle’s petition was devoid of merit.
While upholding Lawal’s victory, the tribunal awarded the N500,000 fine against the Matawalle and the APC.
Unsatisfied, Matawalle took the matter to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, to challenge the decision of the lower court.
Respite came for Matawalle at the appellate court as the three-member panel led by Justice Oyebisi Folayemi, nullified INEC’s declaration of Lawal as the winner of the governorship poll.
Justice Sybil Nwaka ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three LGAs of the state, where elections had not been held previously or where results from various polling units were not counted.
But the governor proceeded to the apex court to seek redress.
