The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed the suit filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2015 gubernatorial election in Kwara State, Senator Simeon Ajibola, challenging the emergence of Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed as the governor of the State.
A three-man panel of justices of the appellate court, led by Justice Peter Ige, in their ruling on Tuesday noted that the appeal lacked merit and dismissed it accordingly.
The court, therefore, upheld the election of Ahmed as governor of Kwara State.
Further in his ruling, Justice Ige awarded the cost of N2.5 million in favour of Ahmed, the first respondent, and the All Progressives Congress, the second respondent.
He also directed that the sum of N1 million be paid in favour of the third respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The PDP candidate had gone before the appellate court to challenge a verdict of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had on April 15, 2016, validated Governor Ahmed’s election.
The suit was however dismissed by the Federal High Court, which held that the appellant lacked the locus standi to query the primary election that produced Ahmed as the APC’s candidate.
Ahmed, who argued through his lawyer, Adebayo Adelodun (SAN), maintained that the appellant had no right under any law to inquire into how primary election of another political party was conducted.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ajibola approached the appellate court.
In his reaction, Governor Ahmed described the verdict as a reaffirmation of mandate given to him by the people of Kwara State.
