Plateau Governor, Caled Mutfwang spoken with confidence that as long as God remains on the throne, the people’s mandate will be preserved and protected as he reiterated his commitment to the rule of law, while assuring the people that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Mutfwang who was reacting to the Appeal Court judgement that sacked him on Sunday described the verdict as a temporary setback that will not deter him from repositioning the state.
“We have unwavering faith in the judiciary and the Constitution of Nigeria,” he added.
The Governor said he has instructed his legal team to file an appeal at the Supreme Court, admonishing citizens of the state and PDP supporters to remain calm.
Mutfwang gave the indication in a press statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, expressed optimism that the mandate overwhelmingly given to him by the citizens would be restored.
Mutfwang polled 525,299 votes in the March 18 governorship election in the state, while Goshwe polled 481,370 votes.
Goshwe challenged the victory of Mutfwang at the tribunal, claiming that the Governor was not validly nominated and sponsored by his Party, insisting there was non-compliance with the Electoral Act in the election.
In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of the tribunal headed by Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
Displeased with the judgment, the APC candidate appealed the tribunal judgment.
The appellate court ruling on Sunday, led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, held that the PDP did not validly sponsor the Governor during the election.
She held that the Party violated a court order to conduct a valid Congress in that state’s 17 Local Government Areas.
She said there was no evidence that the PDP complied with a subsisting High Court order which had directed it to conduct a valid party congress before sponsoring the governorship and other candidates.
The court held that the issue of qualification is both a pre-election and a post-election matter contrary to the tribunal’s findings, which held that the appellant lacked the locus to contest the validity of the respondent.
The Plateau State PDP situation was self-inflicted and a lesson for them and others who for now or in future elect to disregard and disobey valid court orders or judgment that has not been set aside by superior Court as the case may be!
You can’t build anything on nothing and expect it to stand.
NO!
If indeed it is true that there was a court judgment that ordered the PDP in that State to conduct its state congress leading to nomination of delegates that will in turn decide party flag bearers at all levels, but failed to comply, then all the votes earned by their unlawful candidates in the 2023 general elections is wasted votes and of no consequence in the eyes of the law!
I lost my seat at the National Assembly on the 8th Dec 2015 via the Court of Appeal judgement. The PDP argued against my election on the ground that my party ie APC did not conduct its primary election properly.
I’m APC and the PDP and its candidate was the huge beneficiary.
My party ie APC and myself was barred from participating in the fresh election!
There are legion of previous records where PDP benefits from judgements of these kinds.