Politics
Appeal Court sacks Senate Minority Leader, orders fresh election
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Sunday, nullified the victory of the Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, in the February 25 election in Plateau North- Senatorial District.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 28 declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election ahead of his All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, Christopher Musa.
Musa, thereafter, challenged the INEC declaration at the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, citing fraud and non-compliance with the electoral act by the commission in the conduct of the election.
He also alleged that the respondent was not validly nominated by the PDP.
The tribunal, however, dismissed the petitions for lack of merit.
READ ALSO: New Senate minority leader emerges to replace Abaribe
Dissatisfied with the verdict, the APC candidate approached the appeal court to set it aside.
In a unanimous ruling, the three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Daudu Williams held that Mwadkwon was not validly nominated by the PDP.
The panel added that the party did not comply with court orders on the conduct of its primary election as delegates from 12 local government areas in the district didn’t participate in the congress that produced the respondent as its candidate for the National Assembly election.
It also ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in Plateau North within 90 days.
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