The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the election of Inuwa Yahaya, the Governor of Gombe State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state’s 2023 governorship election.

Justice T. N Orji-Abadua, while reading the ruling on Thursday, stated that the appeal of Jibrin Barde of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lacked merit.

“This appeal lacks merit. All the issues are resolved in favour of the respondent and against the appellant. No order as to cost. The judgment of the lower tribunal is hereby affirmed,” she held.

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A three-man panel had dismissed Barde’s petition against Yahaya’s victory at the polls on the grounds that it was a pre-election issue.

Barde, who was dissatisfied with the tribunal ruling, proceeded to the Appeal Court to challenge the ruling. He stated that the candidate of the APC, who was re-elected for his second term, didn’t win the election with the majority of lawful votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Yahaya winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state with 342,821 votes.