Tension As Tribunal Sacks 3 PDP Lawmakers In Plateau State Ahead Of Ruling On Governorship Election

Tension has been heightened in Plateau State ahead of the tribunal verdict on the state governorship election following the decision of the National and State Assembly Tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau state capital, to sack three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers.

Naija News understands the affected lawmakers are Remvyat Nanbol, Agbalak Adukuchill, and Happiness Akawu, representing Langtang Central, Rukuba/Iregwe, and Pengana constituencies in the State House of Assembly respectively.

The tribunal panel led by Justice Muhammad Tukur was of the opinion that the sacked lawmakers were not legally sponsored by the PDP.

The Judge ruled on Thursday that the PDP failed to obey court orders to conduct ward congresses that would enable it to have a valid structure, hence the candidature of the lawmakers is invalid as the party could not sponsor them for election.

The tribunal further explained that the petitioners had the locus standi to challenge the participation or inclusion of PDP in the election.

Following the ruling, the chairman of the tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw Certificates of Return from the sacked PDP lawmakers and issue new ones to the winners of the election.

The development has raised anxiety ahead of the tribunal ruling on Friday in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Nentawe Yiltwatda, challenging the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who contested under PDP.

INEC declared Mutfwang winner of the poll after polling 525,299 votes beating Yiltwatda, who polled 481,370 but the APC candidate went to court to challenge the victory.

The tribunal had earlier sacked four PDP National Assembly members, including a senator, over party structure.