APC, PDP hopeful as S’Court decides Sokoto gov poll today

Members of both the ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, have expressed hope as the Supreme Court decides on the Sokoto State governorship election petition today.

Speaking on the expectations of the petitioner, the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Hassan Sentimental, while speaking with our correspondent on Thursday, said the party was optimistic about getting justice at the Supreme Court.

He said, “We are optimistic of securing justice in the court on Thursday, this is based on our presentation at the court.

“By the grace of God, we will get justice tomorrow in the court.”

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the ruling APC, Isa Acida, in his reaction on Wednesday , declined to make any comments on the expectations of his party in the case.

He said it was wrong for him to comment on a case to be decided on Thursday.

“I cannot say anything on that for now; this is a case before a court of law and will be decided tomorrow; honestly, I cannot say anything on it for now,” he explained.

The PDP candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Sai’du Umar, approached the Apex Court following the dismissal of his petition against Governor Ahmed Aliyu by both the Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

Umar and his party, the PDP listed nine grounds upon which they are asking the Supreme Court to set aside the concurrent judgments of the election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the election of the governor.

In the documents that were made available to our correspondent by Nafiu Lema, media assistant to the candidate, and filed on their behalf by their team of lawyers led by Mr Sunday Ameh, SAN, the appellants claimed that “the judgment of the Court of Appeal is against the weight of evidence” and, as such, should be set aside by the apex court.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, had affirmed Aliyu’s election.

Umar and the PDP had alleged that Aliyu and his deputy, Idris Gobir, were not eligible to contest the governorship poll.

The three-member panel of the appellate court held in a unanimous judgment last year that the appellants failed to substantiate allegations of irregularities, noncompliance and non-qualification contained in their appeal.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 17, reserved  judgment.