The tenure elongation bid by five state governors was today nullified by the supreme court which few minutes ago ruled that their tenure elapsed in May 29 last year.
The governors are Ibrahim Idris (Kogi), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River) who are all members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).The decision was taken by a seven-member panel of the supreme court chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Mudsapher.
Other members of the panel are Justices Mahmud Mukhtar, Walter Onnonghen, Chukwuma Ene, Ibrahim Coomasie, Olufunlola Adekeye and Mary Peter-Odili.
The judgement followed an appeal filed by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The appellants are challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld the decision of an Abuja Federal High Court that extended the tenure of the five governors beyond May 29,2010.
Two of the three legal experts-Amicus Curiae (friends of the court) – invited by the apex court have called for their removal. They are a renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) and Olukanyinsola Ajayi (SAN). But a former Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF), Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) advised the apex court to uphold the decision of the Court of Appeal.
Adopting their written briefs, Marwa’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the court to allow the appeal and set aside the verdict of the two lower courts.
Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, in his consolidated judgement had ruled that the tenure of the governors started in 2008 when they took a fresh Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office after their victories in the rerun elections conducted by INEC.
The rerun elections were conducted by INEC after the Appeal Courts nullified their victories in the April 14, 2007 general elections.
The Judge held that since the 2007 elections were nullified and set aside by competent courts, the oaths of office and allegiance subscribed to by the governors had been nullified.
Details of the judgement will come shortly…
From L to R - Murtala Nyako, Aliyu Wamako, Timipre Sylva, Liyel Imoke & Ibrahim Idris
For this country to receive a facelift, stuff like this must always happen. Good riddance to bad rubbish!
What a judgement. Why wait till this time to take this decision? This is Nigeria.