North-East

Delivering judgment on Thursday, the apex court said the appeals were dismissed for grossly lacking in merit.

The apex court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal and dismissed the appeal by Sadique Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress for lacking in merit.

The Appellate Court frowned at the premature announcement of the election outcome by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Ari, adding that Binani’s appeal was plagued by several demons.

The concluded exercise on Tuesday was monitored and attended by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner for Voter Education of the Commission, following the suspension of Hudu Yunusa, the embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who illegally announced Ms Binani as winner earlier.

The controversy it generated forced INEC to immediately order suspension of the collation of result till further notice.

In declaring the results, Ari had usurped the duties and powers of the Returning Officer, Prof Mohammed Mele.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa, Hudu Ari, Sunday morning, controversially declared Mrs Dahiru, popularly called Binani, the winner of the election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Barrister Hudu Yunusa just made the declaration following the supplementary election held Saturday.

The Supreme Court made the declaration on Monday while ruling on a suit filed by the ruling party where it dragged another aspirant, Bashir Machina, whom the Appeal Court declared winner of May 28, 2022 exercise.