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Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has hailed his rival, Isa Ashiru, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following Friday’s end to months of legal fireworks over the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
In its judgment on the Kaduna State governorship tussle on Friday, the Supreme Court upheld Sani’s election.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that the appeal by Ashiru lacked merit.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today hours after the judgement, Governor Sani the action of the PDP candidate deepens democracy and the rule of law.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank my brother and friend, Isah Ashiru, at least for embracing the legal process and ventilating his anger by going to the Supreme Court at this critical time,” he said.
“If you remember, he was at the tribunal. After the tribunal, he ran to the Court of Appeal, after the court of appeal now the Supreme Court. For me, what he did was commendable. That is the role of democracy.
“If you are not satisfied, you should approach the judiciary. Of course, that was what he did. Today it is clear, that the Supreme Court unanimously affirmed my election. Of course, the judgement was extremely sound.”
Olive Branch
The apex court’s ruling has put to an end the legal tussle that spanned 10 months, settling any uncertainties surrounding the Kaduna State seat of power.
As such, the governor called on the PDP candidate to join hands with his administration to take Kaduna State to greater heights.
“Now that the election has been affirmed by the Supreme Court, I would like to call on Isah Ashiru to join hands with me to move Kaduna State forward.
“That is why I want to invite him and any other citizen of Kaduna State who have something to offer to come, let’s work together in the spirit of democracy.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Sani, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the poll.
He polled 730,002 votes to defeat his closest rival Ashiru who had 719,196 votes.
The Labour Party (LP)’s Jonathan Asake came a distant third after registering 58,283 votes while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate Suleiman Hunkuyi scored 21,405 votes. (Channels)
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