CHAMPION NEWS
It is doubtful whether the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will take up the challenge thrown by the ruling All Progressives Congress and summon courage to apologise to the Judiciary for the alleged spiteful remarks it made against the judiciary for overturning the supposed victory of the party at the 2023 general elections.
Rather, there are strong indications that the PDP will dust up its files and retrieve the most relevant documents relating to disputed legislative seats especially in Plateau State and lead aggrieved opposition political parties along with their candidates back to the trenches to canvass for the review and re-trial of some legislative assembly cases to enable them regain back the seats allotted to their opponents and to seek reversal of judgments decided against them on the grounds of party membership, the improper nomination of candidates and the validity of congresses following the decisive pronouncement by the Supreme Court on Friday that courts have no right to interfere in internal political party affairs.
The Supreme Court made the pronouncement before it reversed the sack of Caleb Mutfwang, Governor of Plateau State., Abba Yusuf Governor of Kano state, Alex Otti, Governor of Abia state, Francis Ogbonna Erishi Nwifuru, Governor of Ebonyi, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State and Dauda Lawal, Governor of Zamfara State.
Already, the Plateau chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has forwarded a petition to the National Judicial Council asking for a review of cases involving it’s lawmakers, alleging miscarriage of justice by the Election Appeals Tribunal, as well as the Appeal Court and asking also for sanctions against the judges who handled the cases at the lower courts.
The Supreme Court had upheld the election of Abba Yusuf as Governor of Kano State, reversing the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sacked the governor last year in controversial judgements that drew widespread revulsion, the condemnation and disapproval of the public.
Recall also that on November 19, 2023, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja sacked Governor Caleb Mutfwang as the chief executive of Plateau State. The appellate court held that the PDP violated a court order and ordered that a valid congress be conducted in the 17 local government areas of Plateau State.
The court said the party conducted congress in only five LGAs of the state “which amounted to a nullity.”
But a five-member panel led by Justice Emmanuel Agim reversed the decision of the appellate court for being perverse because the issue of the primary election that produced Mutfwang was outside the jurisdiction of the lower court.
The Supreme Court reversed the sack of Caleb Mutfwang, affirming him as Governor of Plateau State and pointing out that the validity of nomination and sponsorship are not valid grounds to void an election.
The apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. Besides, it said, the issue of sponsorship elapsed long ago, adding that the petitioners not being members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have no locus to challenge the party’s primary election.
