Appeal Court reserves judgment in Plateau guber dispute

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Saturday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State, Nentawe Yilwatda, challenging the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In the March 18 gubernatorial election in the state, Mutfwang had scored 525,299 votes to be declared winner while Nentawe scored 481,370 votes to come second.

But not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Nentawe had challenged the victory of the governor at the tribunal claiming that the governor was not validly nominated and sponsored by his party.

He also alleged that the election of Mutfwang was not conducted in compliance with the electoral act and that the governor did not win the majority of lawful votes cast during the election.

At the tribunal, a three-member panel headed by Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh, unanimously dismissed the petition for lacking in merit, which saw Nentawe heading for the Appeal Court.

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During the sitting of the appellate court on Saturday, Nentawe, through his team of lawyers, insisted that Mutfwang was not qualified to have contested the election in the first place because the PDP in the state lacked structure and was not qualified to sponsor any candidate in an election.

But in response, counsel to the governor, Godwin Agabi (SAN), stated that the issue of nomination and sponsorship of a candidate for election is purely an internal affair of a political party, as the court has no jurisdiction over it.

Counsel to the PDP Emeka Etiaba (SAN), also urged the court to strike out the appellant’s grounds of appeal together with some other issues raised in the appeal for lacking in competence.

In delivering its ruling, the three-member panel led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, reserved judgment to a date to be communicated to parties after listening to the submission of the counsels.

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