Appeal Court Sacks Plateau's Mutfwang

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Sunday, sacked Plateau state governor, Caleb Mutfwang.

The judgement, delivered by a three member panel, led by Justice Elfrieda williams-Dawodu, averred that the governor, Mutfwang, who was declared winner of the February 25 election under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was not validly sponsored by the party for the election.

Citing section 177 of the constitution, the court averred that the party erred by ignoring a court order directing it to conduct a valid congress in the state's 17 council areas. 

The court noted that there was no evidence the PDP complied with the subsisting court order prior to its sponsorship of the governorship and other candidates.

It held that qualification is both a pre-election and a post-election matter, contrary to the position of the tribunal, which held that the appellant lacked the locus to contest the validity of the respondent.

According to the court, section 134 of the Electoral Act made it clear that it is the sole right of a political party to sponsor its candidate but on the condition it fulfilled statutory requirements.

It therefore annulled the election of Mutfwang and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, retrieve his Certificate of Return and issue a fresh one to APC's Dr Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda