In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has affirmed the election victory of Siminalayi Fubara as the Governor of Rivers State, dismissing the challenge brought forth by Patrick Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Cole contested the election results, arguing that Fubara, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was not qualified to run for governor as he was still employed as the Accountant General of Rivers State at the time of the election. Fubara emerged victorious with 302,614 votes, defeating Cole, who garnered 95,274 votes.
Both the Tribunal and the Appeal Court had previously dismissed Cole’s case, citing a lack of merit and failure to provide credible evidence supporting allegations of non-qualification, corrupt practices, and non-compliance. These decisions upheld Fubara’s electoral triumph.
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In its recent judgment, the Supreme Court, led by a five-member panel headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, reasserted the dismissal of Cole’s appeal. The court maintained that the APC governorship candidate failed to substantiate his claims of over-voting and non-compliance against Governor Fubara.
This Supreme Court ruling solidifies Fubara’s position as the duly elected Governor of Rivers State and underscores the legal validity of his victory in the governorship election. The judgment affirms the earlier decisions of the lower courts, ultimately putting an end to the legal challenges brought against Fubara’s electoral mandate.
