Governorship Election Tribunal upholds PDP Victory

by Christiana Gokyo, Jos

JOS – The Governorship Election Tribunal in Plateau State has held the election of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that it has valid structure to nominate and sponsor candidate.

While delivery the judgment on Friday at the Plateau State High Court, Jos, by one of the Panel Members, Sunday Olorundahosi, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Dr Nentawe Yilwatda’s petition was dismissed for “lacking in merit,” and the tribunal said the petitioners failed to lead evidence on the over-voting and non-compliance to the electoral guidelines.

The tribunal disclosed that the petitioners are a “mire interlopers with busy body” to interject into the affairs of another party.

The Judge said, “The petitioners could not also prove the allegations of over-voting ascribed by them in the 21 polling units out of the 49. Witnesses called by the petitioners, only 21 of them are authentic to speak live to their evidence but most of them were best of hearsay.”

Our correspondent reports that earlier, there was tension in Plateau State and heavy security was being mounted, from Hill Station down to Central Bank, and the routes were blocked.

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Commissioner, CP Okoro Julius Alawari, has earlier warned all those intending to ferment trouble, or cause acts capable of jeopardizing the peace on the Plateau, and admonished them to have a rethink, as the Command will “deal decisively with such person(s) in line with the provision of the law.” 

He, therefore, urged parents and guardians to warn their wards to avoid engaging in acts capable of breaching the peace of the land. The APC candidate, Dr. Nentawe, had approached the Tribunal challenging the declaration of Mutfwang by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as Governor of Plateau State, alleging that as at the time of the election, Mutfwang was not qualified to contest, having not been validly nominated and sponsored by his party, PDP, as the party had no structure as at the time of the said election.