x

Appeal Court Sack PDP’s Plateau Governor, Mutfwang from office

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has again thrown another PDP Governor Mr. Caleb Mutfwang, from office.
In a ruling on Sunday, the lead Justice, Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Nentawe Goshwe.

Justice Williams- Dawodu set aside the judgment of the Tribunal which affirmed the election of Governor Mutfwang, describing it as highly incompetent.

According to the court, the decision of the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the APC and its candidate on the ground that the duo had no business meddling in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform Mutfwang was elected is in breach of Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 134 (C) of the Electoral Act.

The court also held that contrary to the decision of the tribunal that the issues contained in the petition filed by the appellants were pre-election matters, they were both pre-election and post-election matters and could not have been deemed status barred.

Citing section 177 of the Constitution, the panel noted that Mutfwang was not validly sponsored by the PDP during the election.

It held that the party violated the court order that a valid congress be conducted in the 17 local government areas of that state, by conducting congress in only five local government areas of the state, and as such is a nullity.

While dismissing the decision of Plateau State Election Petitions Tribunal, the court held that the issue of qualification is both a pre-election and a post-election matter contrary to the findings of the tribunal which held that the appellant lacked the locus to contest the validity of the respondent.

The court also noted that under section 134 of the Electoral Act, it is the sole right of a political party to sponsor its candidate having met the necessary requirements to do so.

While evoking section 136 of the Electoral Act, the court ordered INEC to retrieve the certificate of return issued to Governor Mutfwang and issue a fresh certificate of return to the Goshwe.

Agreeing with the judgment, Justice Okon Abang said unless the PDP resolved its issues in Plateau State, it would always suffer self-inflicted misfortune.

Hot this week

Editors Urge Government To Create Safe, Enabling Environment For Journalists

· Ask security agents to find missing Vanguard journalist As...

EXCLUSIVE: Buhari orders probe of Isa Funtua, AMCON over keystone and Etisalat

Following the controversy generated by the leading opposition party,...

6 Signs your boyfriend thinks you are ugly -Take note of No. 2

They say there are three kinds of people; the...

2023: South-East, Middle Belt Forum Endorses Peter Obi

The South-East and Middle Belt Forum has endorsed the...

Abuja Road construction: Guzape, Kpaduma Residents Will Be Fully Compensated – Wike

By Joyce Remi-Babayeju The FCT Minister Barr Nysome Wike has...

mass Defection Hits Sokoto Pdp as Business Wing Joins Apc

By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto  A significant blow to the Peoples...

world Bank Team Hails Sokoto L-pres Execution

The World Bank’s Third-Party Monitoring Team has commended the...

Youths Protest  Over Land Grabbing In Delta Community

By Anne Azuka  Youths from Ogbe-Akwu community in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom...

Gov. Ododo Flags Off the Construction of  7.2 Idah Township Road

By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman...

Plateau Gives 72-Hour Ultimatum to Jos Motorcyclists

By Israel Adamu, Jos   Plateau State Government has raised alarm...

mutfwang’s Envoy Seeks Bank Partnership

By Israel Adamu, Jos   Special Envoy on Peace and Security...

Youths Protest  Over Land Grabbing In Delta Community

By Anne Azuka  In a powerful show of unity and...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img