ABUJA—The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, will, today, determine whether in view of section 181 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should go ahead with its plan to conduct supplementary governorship election in Kogi State tomorrow.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned for judgement after all the parties, yesterday, adopted their final written addresses on contentious legal issues that arose from the sudden death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prince Abubakar Audu, before the election was concluded.

Wada
INEC had declared the governorship election held November 21, inconclusive, even as it fixed Saturday to conduct a run-off poll.
Meanwhile, the court had, Tuesday, consolidated four separate suits challenging the legality of the scheduled supplementary election.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who merged the four suits, said there was need for the court to expeditiously determine the issues “so that INEC will not conduct the election under a grave shadow of doubt as to the legal or constitutional validity.”
Whereas one of the suits was lodged before the court by Kogi State governor, C aptain Idris Wada (retd), the second suit was filed by the governorship candidate of the People for Democratic Change, PDC, in the state, Emmanuel Daikwo.
Likewise, a legal practitioner, Mr. Johnson Usman, a House of Representatives member for Ahiazu Ezinaehitte Mbaise Federal Constituency of Imo State, Rafael Igbokwe and an electorate from Omala Local Government Area in Abelijukolo Ife of Eche ward in Kogi State, Mr. Stephen Wada Omaye, filed the two remaining suits.
Upon consolidation of the suits, the plaintiffs, led by Wada’s lawyer, Mr. Goddy Uche, SAN, distilled out three principal legal issues for the court to determine today.
They want the court to go ahead and determine: “Whether having regard to the provisions of sections 31(1)(2)(4)(5)(6)(7) and (, 33, 34, 36, 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, as well as sections 178-181 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, INEC can lawfully conduct a second/supplementary election into the office of Governor of Kogi State on December 5, 2015, or any other date at all let alone accepting the nomination/substitution by the APC of any candidate on the basis of votes computed and credited to the deceased candidate of the APC when the new or substitute candidate was not part of the original election.”
Wada specifically prayed the court to determine, “whether in view of the provisions of section 179 (2) (3)(4)(5) of the constitution, and other enabling provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, and having regard to the doctrine of necessity, the plaintiff being the only surviving candidate with the major lawful votes cast at the Kogi State governorship election held on November 21, 2015, ought not to be declared and returned by the INEC as the winner of the election having secured not less than one-quarter of the votes case in two-thirds of all the Local Government Areas in Kogi State.”
Justice Kolawole had given all the parties 48 hours to file and exchange their briefs of argument and return to the court yesterday for adoption.
Jurisdiction of the high court
Meantime, at the resumed sitting, yesterday, the APC, challenged the jurisdiction of the high court to entertain the suits.
APC’s position was also adopted by both INEC and its replacement for Audu, Mr. Yahaya Bello, who both contended that the court has no jurisdiction to adjudicate on issues that were raised by the plaintiffs, issues they said could be best handled by an election petition tribunal.
APC was not represented in court the day the four suits were consolidated.
The plaintiffs had informed the court that they could not effect service on the party owing to a free-for-all they said took place at the APC national secretariat in Abuja by three different factions of the party in Kogi State, the day they went there with the court processes.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/977/2015, Faleke insisted that contrary to claim by INEC, the Kogi State governorship election was conclusive.
He is seeking 16 principal reliefs from the court, among which include: “A declaration that by the express provisions of sections 179 (2) (a) and (b) and 187(1) of the constitution, a person who is nominated as an associate of a candidate for the office of governor of a state is duly elected deputy governor of a state when the candidate for the office of the governor scores the highest number of also scored not less than one quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-third of all the local government areas in the state.”

Source.www vanguardngr.com/2015/12/kogi-poll-court-decides-wada-bello-falekes-fate-today/

Wada is even out of it.its between d two APC guys.

This story too long sha, almost fall of my eyes from its socket


Meanwhile watching on 5D Flat Tv screen.

Na supreme court go settle am..not this court...anyway ...APC wins

Nigerians are waiting patiently for the court to do justice in this case. Enough of everybody interpreting the law to suit their sentiments. Let the court decide impartially.

am waiting patiently

There is no case.... because fhc lack jurisdiction to entertain d matter.

Adayi1:
There is no case.... because fhc lack jurisdiction to entertain d matter.

E go do you like film, Yahaya Bello is going no where near Kogi government house. Dude can't reap from where he did not sow.

Naw Tension arises

seunmsg:


E go do you like film, Yahaya Bello is going no where near Kogi government house. Dude can't reap from where he did not sow.

What happens to appeal? If the high court pass their judgement today, any aggrieved person can still go to court. So, the election is still going on tomorrow. If Bello scale through, what do you intend to do about it?

Realisticman:

What happens to appeal? If the high court pass their judgement today, any aggrieved person can still go to court. So, the election is still going on tomorrow. If Bello scale through, what do you intend to do about it?

Let's wait for the high courts decision today before we start talking of appeal. It's one step at a time.

Where is Buhari??

I'm just puzzled at the attitude of the igalas(Kogi "born to rule" ) attitude towards this whole issue from onset,
Is it ideal, that in a state that comprises of Three major tribes of Igala, Okun/Yoruba and Ebira, only the Igalas have been ruling since the creation of the state, and thus Far, instead of progressing, the state has become push over and laughing stock among other states, despite how blessed it is in many ways. This is where the igalas has led us thus far..

In other sane states where there a multiple ethnicity, aren't there some form of power rotational arrangements in place?
And with the event of the latest and most recent occurrence, shouldn't the ticket running mate have stepped up and continue the almost concluded race, without hassles ?

To we, the Yorubas of Kogi (and Kwara) this is a wake up call.

Whats the political hope of the Yorubas ?

I am personally tired of my identity being suppressed and lost by so-called geo-political zone..

It's either our voice is heard as bonafide Indegenes of Kogi that we are, or we are carved to the South west where we truly belong.

All theses political suppressions here and there are part of the issues fueling the daily increase in agitation and restiveness in the south east, ss, and other parts of the country, Let there be a true nation wide referendum, let us behave like the enlightened and proud members of the 21st century world that we claim to be, and do things in civil and appropriate manner, arrogant suppression of some people by other people leads to chaos and lack of progress, we can't become developed nation with these fault lines everywhere.

James Faleke will win this..

seunmsg:


E go do you like film, Yahaya Bello is going no where near Kogi government house. Dude can't reap from where he did not sow.

Neither will it favour Faleke too.......the Igalas have contrary opinions

Fingers crossed.

Fingers crossed, legs crossed, eyeglasses in 3-D and ears opened

Those who conspire to kill Abubakar Audu, shall not succeed by God's grace

Those who kill Engr Funsho williams shall soon face Karma by Gods grace

Those who killed Bola Ige will soon face the wrath of God even before they die


It shal never be well with them, there family members that that are evil and all their Co-conspirators In JESUS NAME


I didn't call any name o.. If you say na tinibu I no dey oo, na u sabi oo

x.x.x™

k

tomakint:

Neither will it favour Faleke too.......the Igalas have contrary opinions

It is not for the Igalas to decide.

They should take comfort in Audi's son as a deputy and ensure that the APC mandate is protected.

court must decide

wanted to be ftc

No matter what the judgment finally is, everyone cannot be satisfied.

They should just get this over with and let the state move ahead.

A running mate is a deputy and with the demise of the principal, the deputy steps into his shoes as principal.
Faleke for governor!

a life point of reference judgment

Foolish party APC go and die in oshomole voice.

why today ? something that could have been settled b4 now. yeye people

tomakint:

Neither will it favour Faleke too.......the Igalas have contrary opinions

wetin concern court with igala?

Sabi naija court life they would take bello since nah who APC choose but it is meant to be faleke or rerun of the election.