Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Hearings in the appeals challenging the election of Governors Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, including three other governors, were on Monday suspended by the Supreme Court following the sudden ill health of one of the justices on the panel.

Other governors whose appeals were affected are Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

Before then the court had to suspend its sitting over rowdiness and disorder in the court.

Related: Imo: Supreme Court decides Ihedioha, Araraume, Nwosu’s fate Monday

However, after the court reconvened and arguments in the appeal against Ganduje was concluded by counsel to the appellant, Chief Adegbeoyoga Awolowo (SAN), the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad announced that proceedings would be abruptly adjourned as one of the justices on the panel was sick.

After a long wait, an official of the court announced that the CJN had directed that all the appeals be adjourned till Tuesday.

Meanwhile, there has been tension in Imo State following the announcement by the Supreme Court that it would deliver judgment on Monday on the petitions against the declaration of Emeka Ihedioha as the Governor of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are upbeat that the Supreme Court would uphold Ihedioha’s victory, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are hopeful that the judgment would go in their favour.

In Sokoto, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of the PDP won with a slim margin of 342 votes after a supplementary election.

The APC in Sokoto State and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Ahmed Sokoto, challenged the victory up to the Supreme Court.