By Tobi Soniyi, Abuja, Punch Newspaper

Published: Saturday, 24 May 2008
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday dismissed an appeal by the gubernatorial candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief Solomon Ewuga, challenging the declaration of Governor Akwe Doma as the winner of the April 14, 2007 election in the state.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision, held that the petition by Ewuga against the election was weak and bereft of substantial evidence. Ewuga had filed a petition before the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Nassarawa, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Doma as winner. Ewuga had alleged election malpractices and substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act (2002) as reason why he lost the poll to Doma.
But he lost at the tribunal and appealed to the Court of Appeal where he lost again on Friday. Justice Mary Odili, who delivered the lead judgment, said Ewuga failed to prove the allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2006, adding that the findings of the tribunal were okay.
Other members of the panel agreed with her even as she awarded a cost of N60,000 against Ewuga and in favour of the governor and INEC. The Nasarawa State Elections Petitions Tribunal had on February 12, this year, upheld Doma’s election.