On Wednesday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Senator Aisha Dahiru Binani, faced defeat in their attempt to overturn the victory of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri in the March 18, 2023, governorship election in Adamawa State. The Supreme Court delivered its final judgment on the gubernatorial legal dispute, dismissing Binani’s petition entirely due to a lack of evidence and substance.
Justice John Inyang Okoro, delivering a unanimous judgment, declared that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who declared Binani as the winner had engaged in serious criminality and irresponsibility. The Supreme Court emphasized that Binani’s adherence to the REC’s unlawful and unconstitutional acts was a form of self-deceit in presenting herself as the victor in the governorship poll.
The apex court explicitly stated that the REC had no legal authority, under any recognized law, to announce election results as done in the Adamawa governorship election. Justice Okoro underscored that only the Returning Officer is empowered to make declarations on election outcomes.
The judgment also included a warning to public officers, urging them to act within the confines of the law in the execution of their responsibilities and to avoid being swayed by personal gain. Consequently, Justice Okoro dismissed Binani’s petition and upheld the consistent findings of the Adamawa State Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, both of which had previously rejected the petition by Binani and the APC.