The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos the Plateau State Capital on Thursday upheld the election of Musa Agah of the (PDP) for the Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.
The Tribunal has equally upheld the election of the PDP candidate in the 2023 senatorial polls for Plateau North, Simon Mwadkon.
Newspot recalls that the Peoples Redemption Party’s candidate Mohammed Adam Alkali, Daniel Asama of the Labour Party and Ibrahim Baba Hassan of the APC had all dragged the PDP and its candidate to the tribunal on the grounds that the Party has no structure among other issues.
It also recalls that the Labour Party’s candidate, Gyang Zi and the APC had dragged the PDP and its candidate to the tribunal for a similar matter.
Delivering the separate judgements, Justice Williams Rotimi Olamide, held that the petition brought before the tribunal lacked merit and was dismissed.
On the issue of non-structure in the PDP, the tribunal ruled that the petitioners do not have the locus standi to challenge the respondent (PDP and its candidate).
Reacting to the two judgements, Counsel to the respondents, Pius Akubo (SAN), commended the tribunal for graciously and dispassionately delivering the two judgements ahead of time.
He said, “It is evidently clear from the judgement read in the open tribunal that both of them are a hallmark of erudition.
“Their Lordships painstakingly and commendably dealt with every issue raised and canvassed by the Counsels to the parties.
“Particularly, the mind-burgling issue of whether PDP had structure, let alone nominating and sponsoring its candidates, was confronted head-on in the two judgements.
“And it became clear that their Lordships looked into the matter holistically.
“On the issue of locus standi, the tribunal found that in as much as the petitioners are not members of the political party, they lack the locus standi to raise and canvass the issue.
“According to our extant jurisprudence on electoral matters, when we talk about nomination and sponsorship of a candidate, they both precede the date of election.
“To that extent, section 84 subsection 14 of the Electoral Act, 2022 comes to the fore.
“In other words, it is only aspirants, participants in the process like party primaries that will have the locus standi to challenge that “, Akubo explained.
“And even at that, if you look at section 285 subsection 14 of the constitution, it is time-bound.
“You must activate your course of action within the time limit, and if you fail to do that, the time becomes statute barred”, the Counsel stressed.
“That’s one of the fundamental issues that stand out in their judgments today “.
In his reaction, Counsel to the candidate of PRP, M.I Salihu, said they respect the judgement of the tribunal.
“We will discuss, and will appeal the judgement”, he maintained.
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