Sacked Governor of Plateau State, Mr Caleb Mutfwang, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was on Friday reinstated as the Supreme Court validated his election.
The apex court, in a judgment read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, affirmed Mr. Mutfwang as the duly elected governor in the March 18, 2023 poll.
The apex court held that “the whole case is a clear abuse of court process”.
The court faulted the court of appeal for voiding Mr. Mutfwang’s election, as it held that the tribunal and court of appeal cannot determine the issue of validity of a party’s candidate.
“Matters of the national executive council, and administration of a political party, are internal affairs of the party and cannot be entertained by the tribunal or the court of appeal.
“The election and return of the appellant as governor of Plateau state is hereby restored,” Agim held.
Persecondnews recalls that the Supreme Court had on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, reserved judgment in an appeal filed by Mutfwang, seeking the affirmation of his election which was nullified by the Court of Appeal in November 2023.
Mutfwang scored 525,299 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nentawe Yilwatda, who got 481,370 votes.
The governor’s election was upheld by the Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Jos, the state capital.
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, in its judgment delivered on November 19, 2023, overturning Mutfwang’s victory, and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Mr. Goshwe.
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