Supreme Court affirms Ikpeazu and Udom's victories

Okezie Ikpeazu won the Supreme Court ruling to remain Abia State governor

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State winners of the respective polls in their states. 

A seven-man bench presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, unanimously affirmed the governors’ elections following their separate  appeals against the judgments of the Court of Appeal. It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal had ordered their removal from office.

The ruling puts an end to the legal actions initiated against Udom Emmanuel and Ikpeazu by their main rivals shortly after the April 11, 2015 elections in the two states.

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had nullified the Akwa Ibom State governorship election in the entire 31 local government areas of the state on December 18, 2015, while the Owerri Division of the appeal court had removed Ikpeazu and declared the APGA candidate, Otti, winner of the election in Abia State, in a judgment delivered on December 31, 2015.

The rulings will be seen as a major victory for the opposition party, the People's Democratic Party.