In a decisive ruling, the Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the election victory of Governor Peter Mbah in Enugu State, dismissing the appeal filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Chijioke Edeoga.

The apex court upheld the unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mohammed Garba, affirming the validity of Governor Mbah’s election.

The LP and Edeoga’s appeal sought to challenge the outcome of the gubernatorial election that took place on March 18. However, the Supreme Court found no grounds to overturn the concurrent verdicts of the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which had dismissed all allegations against Governor Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing the issues raised in the appeal, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Governor Mbah and the PDP, further reinforcing the earlier decisions made by lower courts.

Justice Garba held that the three witnesses presented by the appellants regarding their matter were identified as petitioners’ witnesses (PWs) one, two, and three. These individuals were among those whose written statements, given under oath, were deemed inadmissible as they had not been submitted alongside the initial petition.

“The evidence of PW 1, 2, and 3 is where the issue of non-qualification was based. The evidence having been expunged for being legally inadmissible, there is no evidence to support that allegation of forgery of certificate

“The allegation, as contained in paragraphs 24 and 25 of the petition is not supported by valid evidence. There is no merit in this issue,” he said

The Court of Appeal in Lagos had previously upheld Governor Mbah’s election, dismissing three critical issues raised by the LP and Edeoga. Specifically, the court stated that the appellants failed to substantiate their claim that Governor Mbah was unqualified to contest the election. Despite alleging over-voting in Mbah’s strongholds, the appellants failed to provide the voters’ register as evidence.

In the appellate court’s unanimous judgment, it was concluded that the LP and its candidate did not present sufficient grounds to nullify the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal’s initial ruling, which had dismissed their case. Consequently, the appeal was deemed lacking in merit, affirming Governor Mbah’s victory.

Following their dissatisfaction with the appellate court’s judgment, Edeoga and the LP escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, where they faced another defeat on Friday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously declared Mbah of the PDP as the winner of the gubernatorial contest after securing 160,895 votes. Edeoga of the LP trailed with 157,552 votes, while Frank Nweke of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured 17,983 votes, coming in third.

The LP and its candidate contested the election results, claiming they had secured the highest number of valid votes. They also alleged that Governor Mbah submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate to INEC, challenging his eligibility.

In addition to other observations, the court noted that the appellants, initially petitioners at the tribunal, presented eyewitnesses purportedly serving as polling unit and collation agents. However, during cross-examination, these witnesses confessed that they were not lawfully appointed to hold those roles as stipulated by relevant legal provisions.

Furthermore, the judge highlighted that the statements provided by these witnesses were nearly identical, differing only in names. Consequently, such evidence was deemed inadmissible and held no substantial value in the case.

“PW26 was the appellant state collation agent, he gave hearsay evidence because he was not at the ward collation centers for him to give admissible evidence of all that happened at all the ward collation centers.

“The tribunal was right to have held that the petitioner failed to prove with evidence that the second respondent (Mbah) was not elected with a majority of valid votes cast in the election.

“I have no reason to interfere with the concurrent findings of the two lower courts on the issue,” he said.

Based on these, the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal dismissed these allegations on September 9, affirming that Governor Mbah met the necessary qualifications for the election, including possessing a valid school certificate or its equivalent. The tribunal also highlighted the need for criminal allegations like forgery to be proven beyond reasonable doubt, rejecting certain witness testimonies for not being filed with the petition.

Mba welcomed the judgment, describing it as “a nudge to continue to provide water in every nook and cranny of Enugu State; to build smart schools in all the wards of our state; to sustain the provision of security; to provide massive infrastructure and roads development; to build a new set of leaders of tomorrow who will face the global challenges headlong.”

My dear people of Enugu State. A while ago, the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, delivered the final judgement on the last tranche of appeals against the mandate you freely gave us on March 18, 2023.

We thank God that the learned justices affirmed your sacred will.… pic.twitter.com/rEqlK4Hjk5

— Peter Ndubuisi Mbah (@PNMbah) December 22, 2023

The heart of Nigeria’s oil industry witnessed an unprecedented moment as the Port Harcourt refinery, long dormant, reached a pivotal milestone with the announcement of mechanical completion and flare start-off, heralding the much-awaited onset of production in a phased approach.

Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), radiated pride as he unveiled this monumental achievement during a meticulously organized media tour of the refinery on Thursday.

“Just to announce to Nigerians the fulfilment of our pledge to bring on stream phase one of the Port Harcourt refinery by the end of 2023 and the subsequent streaming of phase two in 2024. We happily announced the mechanical completion and the flare start-off on the 20th of December 2023,” Mr. Lokpobiri said on Thursday.

He emphasized the significance of the mechanical completion and flare start-off on December 20, 2023, as a crucial leap forward in the country’s energy revival.

The Port Harcourt Refineries, comprising both older and newer units, now stand tall with a formidable combined refining capacity of 210,000 barrels per day (bpd). The newly integrated plant contributes a substantial 150,000 bpd to bolster Nigeria’s domestic production capabilities.

This significant milestone follows the refinery’s closure in March 2019, initiating the initial phase of repair works. Italy’s Maire Tecnimont spearheaded the comprehensive review of the refinery complex, backed by Eni’s technical expertise as an adviser, marking a collaborative effort to breathe life back into this strategic asset.

Minister Lokpobiri, speaking with heartfelt gratitude, assured Nigerians that petroleum product production at the refinery is slated to commence post the Christmas break. He extended sincere appreciation to the populace for their patience and unwavering trust in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), acknowledging their pivotal role in facilitating the realization of this pivotal refinery rehabilitation initiative.

Recognizing the profound significance of this accomplishment within the context of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Minister Lokpobiri extended warm congratulations to NNPC and the nation for this momentous feat.

“This heralds the commencement of production of petroleum products after the Christmas break. We want to thank Nigerians for their patience and trust in the NNPC to deliver on her promise and mandate of rehabilitating our refineries,” he added.

Pius Akinyelure, the Board Chairman of NNPC Ltd, echoed Lokpobiri’s sentiments, expressing profound satisfaction with the landmark development. He reaffirmed NNPC’s unwavering commitment to President Tinubu’s outlined timeline and emphasized the critical role of the refinery’s operation in stabilizing fuel costs, a crucial factor in Nigeria’s economic stability.

This achievement is the culmination of Nigeria’s enduring struggle with defunct refineries, resulting in heavy reliance on imported petroleum products and substantial revenue losses. Despite previous refurbishment attempts and shifting deadlines, meeting production targets had remained an elusive endeavor.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, pledged to revitalize the country’s refineries aimed to bolster reserves and cease fuel importation. However, consecutive delays and escalating renovation costs impeded the efficient processing of crude oil, casting shadows on the realization of this ambitious goal.

Minister Lokpobiri’s assurances in August were met with skepticism as earlier deadlines went unfulfilled, underscoring the challenges faced in revitalizing these critical energy infrastructures.

The comprehensive tour of the refinery, graced by key dignitaries including Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, NNPC Ltd Board Chairman Pius Akinyelure, NNPC Ltd Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, and other eminent officials, marked a significant turning point in Nigeria’s energy landscape. The occasion stands as a testament to resilience, determination, and collective efforts poised to reshape Nigeria’s energy future.

The Port Harcourt refinery has gulped $1.5 billion in rehabilitation funds.