The 18th March,2023 governorship election in Sokoto State was nothing short of a political spectacle. The election was keenly contested by two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). After weeks of intense campaigning and a historic voter turnout, the APC candidate, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, emerged victorious.
One of the key figures in the APC’s victory in the last governorship election in Sokoto State was Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko a former Governor of the state and a prominent political figure in the north-west region of Nigeria. His influence and popularity played a key role in securing victory for the APC in the 2023 Governorship election.The role played by Senator Wamakko in the victory of the APC in the 2023 Governorship election in Sokoto State cannot be overstated.His popularity made APC to become a household name across sokoto state.
In the 2023 election, the APC candidate, Ahmed Aliyu, defeated the PDP candidate, Mallam Saidu Umar, by a wide margin. The massive votes garnered by the APC was a testament to the popularity of the party in the state and the effectiveness of its campaign strategy.
However, Mallam Saidu Umar, challenged the result of the election at the tribunal. This led to a long and grueling legal battle that left the people of Sokoto State hanging in suspense. Supporters of both parties were left on edge, with every twist and turn of the legal battle bringing hope or despair.
The Sokoto State tribunal case was a hotly contested affair that was closely watched by political analysts, pundits, and stakeholders in the state. The PDP had alleged that the APC rigged the election in their favor, a claim that the APC vehemently denied. The case dragged on for months, with both sides presenting their arguments and evidence before the tribunal.
The waiting game was intense as the people of Sokoto State were put between a rock and a hard place. They were anxious and nervous, with many unsure of what the outcome of the tribunal case would be. The tension was palpable, and the state was on edge as the tribunal proceedings went and tribunal delivered its verdict. Mallam Saidu Umar’s case challenging the victory of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto was dismissed by the tribunal, and the victory of the APC candidate was upheld.
The PDP’s Ubandoma went to Appeal Court to further challenge the victory of Governor Ahmed Aliyu sokoto but the case was also dismissed.However,not satisfied with the judgement by both the election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal, Ubandoma and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party listed nine grounds and asked the Supreme Court to set aside the concurrent judgments of the election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal which affirmed the election of Ahmed Aliyu as Governor of Sokoto State.
In the appeal, the documents which were made available to Newsmen the appellants claimed that “the judgment of the Court of Appeal is against the weight of evidence”, and as such should be set aside by the apex court.
Today,25th January,2024,the Nation’s Apex Court dismissed the case by Ubandoma against Governor Ahmed Aliyu sokoto,The verdict came as a huge relief to supporters of the APC, who had been on tenterhooks waiting for the day of reckoning.
The celebration of the APC at the outcome of the supreme court challenging the victory of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is understandable. The Supreme court has upheld the mandate given to the Governor by the people of Sokoto State, and it is hoped that this will translate into more good for the people of the state.
The APC-led government in Sokoto State has already made significant strides in developing the state and improving the lives of its people. The governor’s focus on infrastructure development, education, agriculture, and peace-building has yielded positive results, and it is hoped that with the supreme court case now resolved, the government can continue with its development agenda.
It is hoped that this victory attained by Governor Ahmed Aliyu sokoto will translate into more development and progress for the people of Sokoto State.
Binji Writes From Sokoto
