In a significant development, Umar Ardo, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa State, has chosen to withdraw his appeal challenging the re-election of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri at the Supreme Court.
Ardo’s initial grounds for seeking the nullification of Fintiri’s victory included substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, allegations of corrupt practices, and instances of threats and violence during the election. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had previously dismissed a petition filed by Ardo, affirming the Tribunal’s decision that deemed the petition incompetent and improperly filed.
During the November ruling, Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu stated that the appellants failed to substantiate allegations of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The appellate court maintained that there was no basis to grant the appeal.
With this backdrop, Sylvester Imanobe, counsel for the SDP, revealed that the party had garnered 6,000 votes during the election. The court, however, emphasized the disparity between the integrity of the election and numerical strength. Sensing the court’s disposition, Ardo and the SDP made the strategic decision to withdraw their appeal at the Supreme Court.
This development followed Ardo’s earlier petition at the State Governorship Election Tribunal, where he sought the nullification of Fintiri’s re-election, alleging substantial non-compliance, corrupt practices, and incidents of threats and violence. The tribunal’s judgment was subsequently appealed, leading to the recent withdrawal at the Supreme Court.
The decision to withdraw the appeal marks a significant turn in the legal proceedings surrounding the Adamawa State governorship election, shaping the course of political developments in the region.
