Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal brought before it by Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim and upheld the victory of Engr Musa Wada as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 3, 2019 primary election.
In its ruling on Friday, the four man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, CFR, affirmed Wada as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the November 16, 2019 election in Kogi State.
Abubakar, a governorship aspirant, filled a suit at Lokoja High Court 4 alleging gross malpractices during the September 3rd PDP Primary at the Confluence Stadium Lokoja.
Wada was declared winner by the Governor Ahmadu Fintiri led electoral committee, but Abubakar cried blue murder citing gross electoral malpractices against the declared winner.
Abubakar, son of former Governor Ibrahim Idris promptly pulled all the strings in the party to seek redress. When that failed, he took his grievances to the High Court. The court said the controversial primary was not valid and returned a verdict of no Victor, no Vanquished.
Both parties proceeded to the Court of Appeal to test the ruling. The Appeal court returned a non declaratory ruling. The court recognised the validity of the PDP Primary but kept mum on the winner.
Still dissatisfied both parties headed to the Apex court, which has now affirmed Wada as the validly nominated candidate of the party.
Reacting to the judgment, the state chapter of PDP called on the contenders to close ranks, noting that the judgment is a victory for all.
In a statement by its publicity secretary, Bode Ogunmola, the party urged all members of the party to embrace peace and strive for greater unity.
The statement said both Engr Musa Wada and Alhaji Abubakar Idris have been longing standing friends and in-law, therefore, not even ambition can put a wedge in their relationship.
It urged that all members of the party should close ranks and work towards reclaiming the victory of the party at the Appellate Court.
“What should be of paramount importance to all party members is our victory at the Appeal Court. We should concentrate all efforts to reclaim our stolen mandate,” the statement read.
