How Plateau Gov Muftwang, 23 Other Lawmakers Benefitted From Appeal Court’s ‘Wrong’ Judgements
- Aside from governors, some embattled lawmakers also emerged victorious at the Supreme Court
- Tinubu's former labour minister, Lalong, alongside 22 other lawmakers, benefitted from the apex court's judgment delivered on Friday, January 12
- The Supreme Court took a firm stand on the electoral injustice by the Court of Appeal's decisions regarding Governor Muftwang's removal
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
The Supreme Court settled the disputes of the governorship elections in eight states on Friday, January 12.
Source: Facebook
While the apex court was delivering its judgment, it dived into the Plateau state election dispute, pointing out the state's major electoral injustice by the Court of Appeal's decisions on the cases arising from the 2023 general elections.
Recall that the appeal court ordered the sack of Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau and 23 federal and state legislators in the state.
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Like the governor, the affected lawmakers are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They are two out of the three senators in the Nigerian Senate, five out of the eight House of Representatives members from the state, and 16 out of the 25 members of the state House of Assembly.
The embattled lawmakers had won their seats on the PDP ticket but had their victories overturned in the 2023 decisions of the Court of Appeal.
Supreme Court weighs in on Plateau elections
Delivering its final judgment on the disputed Plateau elections, the Supreme Court dismissed the lower court's faulty reasoning behind the judgement given in favour of Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC governorship candidate in Plateau.
The rest of the beneficiaries of the controversial lower court's decisions, including Simon Lalong, escaped because the disputes over state and National Assembly elections terminated at the Court of Appeal. Lalong assumed his position as the Plateau South senatorial district senator under the APC following his victory in the February 25 senatorial election, declared by the Court of Appeal on November 7.
While delivering its judgement on Muftwang's appeal on Friday, the Supreme Court reversed his sack and affirmed him as the governor of Plateau state.
Justice Emmanuel Agim held that the issue of primary is an internal matter of political parties, which both the tribunal and Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction.
How Tinubu influenced S'Court judgement on Kano, Plateau election
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that APC chieftain Williams Dakwom reacted to the Supreme Court judgement that certified the election of Abba Yusuf as Kano governor and Caleb Mutfwang.
In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng on Saturday, January 14, Dakwom said the justices of the Supreme Court obeyed the president's directive.
According to Dakwom, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's directive was to avoid chaos and ensure that each candidate gets their mandate, hinting at a potential move towards a one-party political system.
Kano Supreme Court judgement: Yusuf delighted
Legit.ng earlier reported that Kano Governor Yusuf reacted to the Supreme Court verdict that affirmed him as governor, saying he feels extremely happy.
The governor said the apex court declared that there is no illegality regarding the Kano state governorship election.
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Source: Legit.ng
