Former Senator for Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has knocked the Court of Appeal judgement removing Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State.
The Herald earlier reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the election of Muftwang, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Sunday.
In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of justices held that Muftwang was not validly sponsored by the PDP as his nomination contravenes Section 285(2) of the Nigerian Constitution.
The court ruled that the appeal brought by Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshewe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) succeeds as the issue of qualification was both a pre and post-election matter under Section 177(c) of the Nigerian Constution,1999 and Section 80 and 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The panel agreed with the appellant (Goshewe) that the failure of the PDP to comply with the order of the Plateau State High Court in Jos in suit no: PLD/J304/2020 between Bitrus B. Kaze & 11 ors vs the Peoples Democratic Party & 24 ors directing it to conduct valid ward, local governments and state congresses before nominating its candidates for the various elective posts and the Court of Appeal order in CA/J1/93/2021 was a breach of the law.
The court declared Goshewe as the winner of the election and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him a Certificate of Return.
Reacting, Sani, a PDP chieftain, said, “The Court of Appeal judgement against the electoral victory of the Plateau State Governor is unfortunate, unacceptable and condemnable.”
He further described the judgement as ” a broad daylight heist of the will of the people”.
“The bench is becoming the coffin of democracy,” Sani said.
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The Court of Appeal Judgement against the electoral victory of the Plateau State Governor is unfortunate,unacceptable and condemnable.A broad daylight heist of the will of the people.The bench is becoming the coffin of democracy.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) November 19, 2023