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The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, has nullified the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring David Emmanuel Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the lawfully elected Governor of the state.

The tribunal verdict was delivered amid heavy security presence as armed security personnel blocked the popular Shandam road, making it impossible for vehicles to move from the government house to the former headquarters of Nasarawa State High Court, the venue of the tribunal.

In the over 4-hour judgement, which was delivered virtually, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, maintained that the evidence presented by the petitioner indicated that Emmanuel Ombugadu scored the majority of the lawful votes cast during the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Justice Ezekiel Ajayi directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to Emmanuel Ombugadu.

Justice Chiemelie Onaga, on her part, aligned with the verdict of the chairman of the tribunal, adding that the petitioner scored the majority of the lawful votes.

In a dissenting judgement, Justice Ibrahim Mashi dismissed the petition for the petitioner’s inability to demonstrate how he scored the majority of the votes.

Counsel to the Petitioner, Johnson Usman, said the majority judgement has affirmed David Emmanuel Ombugadu as the lawfully elected governor of Nasarawa State.

In his reaction, the State PDP Chairman, Hon. Francis Orogu, described the judgement as a victory for democracy and the people of the state.

However, counsel to Gov. Sule, Mubarak Adekuleku, said they would follow the dissenting judgement of Ibrahim Mashi and appeal the verdict of the other two justices.

He further stated that the dissenting judgement was more detailed and in line with the provisions of the law than the majority judgement.

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