A panel of three Justices, led by Oyebisi Folayemi and supported by Cordelia Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo and Sybil Nwaka Gbagi, delivered the decisive verdict, endorsing Lawal’s victory.
This affirmation aligns with the September 18 decision of the Zamfara State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which had earlier validated Lawal’s election.
The legal dispute emerged when Bello Matawale, former Zamfara State Governor and current Minister of State for Defence in the All Progressives Congress (APC), contested Governor Lawal’s victory from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 gubernatorial poll.
Governor Lawal secured a significant victory with a margin of over 65,000 votes, obtaining 377,726 votes, while Matawale scored 311,976.
With the Court of Appeal’s affirmation, it appears that the legal challenges surrounding the Zamfara gubernatorial election have concluded, solidifying Dr. Lawal’s status as the duly elected Governor of the State.
