ZAKARI ISAH, KADUNA
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State has described as an electoral robbery the judgment delivered Monday 11th, September 2023 by the National and State Houses of Assembly Tribunal (Panel 1) on the March 2023 National Assembly Election, which nullified the elections of the Senator representing Plateau South and House of Representatives Member representing B/Ladi/ Riyom Federal Constituency.
The State PDP Party Chairman, Christopher A. Hassan who ave the party's position in a Press Conference held in Jos, the Plateau State capital, said the party rejected the judgment as it did not reflect the law and the interest of the majority of the people as freely expressed at the election.
"We watched with dismay and trepidation the nullification of the elections of our Senator representing Plateau South and House of Representatives Member representing B/Ladi/ Riyom Federal Constituency led by Hon Justice M.B. Tukur, and two others, Hon Justice Omaka Elewa and Hon Justice O. A. Adetujoye".
According to Hassan, both the Labour Party and the APC approached the Tribunal seeking declaratory Reliefs predicting its petition that the PDP is not Qualified to Sponsor its Candidates because it has no structure to sponsor candidates in Plateau State, placing reliance on some cases of the PDP internal squabbles which the Tribunal relied upon to declare that Hon Peter Gyendeng and AVM Napoleon Bali (rtd) were not qualified to contest the election, instead he declared that, "In this case, the PDP had since complied with the judgment of Justice S P Gang through a repeat congress of September 2021 which was dutifully monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) as required by law. This same congress was affirmed by the Federal High Court Jos in a judgment delivered by Hon Justice D. V . Agishi in the case of one Augustine Timkuk vs. PDP validating the State Executive of the Party as duly elected and this same judgment was also unanimously affirmed by the Court of Appeal Jos in favor of the PDP by Hon TY Hassan, Hon Justice I. A. Andenyangtso and Hon Justice O O Goodluck delivered on 11th February 2023".
"It is noteworthy that as we register our disappointment in the verdict of the Tribunal, it can never destroy our confidence in the judiciary".
Consequently, the Chairman said the party has mandated its team of lawyers to appeal the judgment at the Court of Appeal to regain Plateau State people's Mandates, urging urge Party stakeholders, our supporters, and indeed the people of Plateau State to be calm.
"There is no cause for alarm and this judgment is just a temporary setback, Legal machinery has been set in motion to reclaim our mandate as we restate our confidence in the institution of the judiciary to dispense justice in this matter at the Appellate Court", Hassan added.
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