The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has expressed delight with the judgement of the Court of Appeal declaring APC candidate, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshewe as the duly-elected Governor of Plateau State.
Special Adviser (Media) to the minister, Dr. Makut Macham stated this in a Sunday statement.
The Herald can report that the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the election of Governor Caleb Muftwang on Sunday.
In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of justices held that Muftwang was not validly sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as his nomination contravenes Section 285(2) of the Nigerian Constitution.
The court ruled that the appeal brought by 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.
Reacting, Lalong, who is the senator-elect for Plateau South, said the declaration of the court is an affirmation of the mandate unanimously given to Goshewe and his running mate Pam Bot-Mang by the people of the State.
He said the development is a good omen to Plateau State as the Governor-elect Goshewe and his running mate would now have the opportunity to implement the Generation Next mantra and the ACEES agenda to take Plateau State to the next level.
“The minister said though the PDP and its ousted candidate Barr. Caleb Mutfwang have the constitutional right to exhaust all the legal opportunities available to them, he is confident that the victory of Dr. Nentawe will endure.
“Lalong appeals to the members of the APC and the Governor-elect Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda to be magnanimous is victory and consider this joyous moment as a celebration for the entire people of Plateau State who are yearning for good governance, security and development.
“He also calls on the citizens of Plateau State to continue to be law abiding and shun any attempt to incite them to take any unlawful action that is capable of threatening the peace and security of the State,” the statement read in part.
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