Jubilation rocked the Niger state’s capital, Minna, today especially among All Progressives Congress (APC) members after news filtered that the Supreme Court had upheld the victory of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.
According to Ceoafrica, APC supporters, mainly youths welcomed the judgement with thanks to Allah and patting of each other’s backs.
Moments after the judgement, a long motorcade conveying supporters of the party and loyalists of Governor Bello stormed the state capital with some of them driving dangerously while others hung on the roofs and windows of the cars and buses chanting the APC slogan and singing the praises of the state governor.
They drove to the government house to congratulate the governor before retiring to the party Secretariat.
Reacting to the judgement, the commissioners for information and that of Justice, MR Jonathan Vatsa and Nasara Danmallan described the decision of the Supreme Court as “victory for democracy”, adding that the APC had been vindicated and that all distractions are now shelved aside.
A member of the APC, Mustapha Babangida had dragged his party to court on the grounds that he was denied nomination form after paying N4m into the party’s account.
The lower and appellate courts had earlier delivered judgements in favour of both the APC and its candidate in the 2015 governorship election.
The Supreme Court also ruled in favour of Bello declaring that the case by the appellant, Mustapha Babangida lacked merit.
In the judgment read by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, the court said the appellant did not participate in the election neither did he fail in the election even though he is an APC card carrying member.
Justice Onnoghen said after considering the issues, and citing the case of Audu and Nyako and section 87 sub-section 9 of the electoral Act, 2010 the appellant did not participate, neither did he fail in the elections.
Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs supported the lead judgement in which it was decided that the appellant had no right to take the matter to court.
