A seven-man panel of Nigerian Supreme Court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili, unanimously affirmed Governor Oluseyi Makinde as the duly elected governor of Oyo State.
Upturning the Court of Appeal’s majority judgment of four against one, the Supreme court restored the judgment of the Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which had declared Makinde and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, the winner of the election.
Justice Eko said, “After going through the briefs of arguments, I find merit in this appeal.
“The judgment of the lower court is mainly based on perversity.
“The majority judgment is hereby set aside.
“The minority judgment/decision of the lower court represents a more sober reflection on the issues.”
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also filed a separate appeal while Adelabu and his PDP had jointly filed another appeal.
In sum, the Supreme court held that its decision in Makinde’s appeal would be binding on all the other appeals filed in respect of the Oyo State governorship election.