Supreme Court Picks Date To Hear Ogun, Plateau Governorship Appeals

The Supreme Court has picked dates to hear the appeals on the 2023 governorship elections in Ogun and Plateau States.

Naija News understands the apex court will tomorrow, 9th January, hear the appeals on the Plateau State Governorship Election filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its candidate, Governor Caleb Muftwang and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Similarly, the Supreme Court will on Thursday, 11th January, hear appeals on the Ogun State Governorship Election filed by Oladipo Adebutu of the PDP and a counter-appeal by Governor Adedapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This platform recalls that in the case of Plateau State, back in November 2023, the Appeal Court in Abuja sacked the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, and declared Nentawe Goshwe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election.

A three-member panel, in a unanimous decision, held that Muftwang was not validly sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as provided by Section 285(2) of the Nigerian Constitution.

Recall that Mutfwang polled 525,299 votes in the March 18 governorship election in the state, while Goshwe polled 481,370 votes.

Goshwe challenged the victory of Mutfwang at the tribunal, claiming that the governor was not validly nominated and sponsored by his Party, insisting there was non-compliance with the Electoral Act in the election.

In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of the tribunal headed by Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

Displeased with the judgment, the APC candidate appealed the tribunal judgment.

The appellate court ruling, led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, upturned the tribunal ruling and held that the PDP did not validly sponsor the governor during the election.

The Judge held that the Party violated a court order to conduct a valid Congress in that state’s 17 Local Government Areas.

She said there was no evidence that the PDP complied with a subsisting High Court order which had directed it to conduct a valid party congress before sponsoring the governorship and other candidates.

Governor Muftwang, however, rejected the verdict, claimed he was unfairly treated by the Appeal Court and filed a case at the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, for Ogun State, the PDP candidate, Oladipo Adebutu, is challenging the election victory of the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, at the polls.

He cited alleged over-voting, gross misconduct, disenfranchisement, non-compliance with the electoral act as well as noncompliance to the margin of lead principle.

Both the tribunal and appeal court had earlier affirmed the governor’s election up to the appeal court.

The case is now set to be finally decided by the Supreme Court.