Appeal Court returns APC’s Nentawe as Plateau Governor

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has returned the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Nentawe Yilwadta as Governor of Plateau State.

As reported by Jayfm correspondent Gilbert Joseph, in a two-hour ruling delivered by a three-man panel of Justices led by Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, the court says tribunal which affirmed the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang was in grave error when it held that the Petitioner had no right to challenge the outcome of the election.

On ground one of the petition which was hinged on the issue of structure, the court said the tribunal appeared to have misdirected itself on the issue of the PDP’s compliance and disobedience to court while noting that the issue becomes a different matter from pre-election where a political party is to carry out a court order.

On the PDP’s attempt to prove compliance with an order of Justice S. P. Gang, the Appeal Court holds that the video evidence presented did not show the delegates who took part in the repeat Congress.

In conclusion, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which is the first respondent was directed to withdraw the certificate of return of the second respondent, Mutfwang and give it to the Petitioner as according to the court, he has the right to be returned elected having passed the constitutional requirements to be returned

On a related note, the Senatorial candidate of the PDP in the Plateau Central election, Ambassador Golkuna Gottom has expressed his dissatisfaction with the tribunal judgement which affirmed the election of Senator Dicket Plang.

Speaking to journalists on the matter, Ambassador G.Y. Gottom says the tribunal failed to take cognizance of the provisions of the law on the declaration, announcement and return of a candidate in an election.