By: Valentine Adese (JP),
The National/State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has sacked the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Moses Sule, representing Mikang State Constituency for not been qualified to contest the House of Assembly election conducted by INEC on the 18th of March, 2023.
The Tribunal also sacked the Member representing Jos North-West State Constituency, Hon. Danjuma Azi for the same reason.
Delivering Judgment in Petition No: EPT/PL/SHA/03/2023 and EPT/PL/SHA/11/2023, filed by Hon. Sunday Mark Na’ah, Hon. Daniel Naanlong Gapyil and their party the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Hon. Danjuma Azi and Rt. Hon. Moses Sule, Hon. Justice Omaka Elekwa and Hon. Justice B. M. Tukur respectively held that, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under which they contested the election on the 18th of March, 2023, has “No Structure”.
The Tribunal after dismissing all the Preliminary Objections (POs) filed in both Petitions, stated that, the Petitioners in both Petitions failed to prove the allegations of noncompliance to the provisions of the Electoral Act in their Grounds Two, and that they also failed to prove that, they scored the highest votes cast in both elections.
The Tribunal however, held that, the Petitioners were able to prove that, the 2nd Respondent (Danjuma Azi and Rt. Hon. Moses Sule,) in both Petitions were not qualified to contest the election from the series of Court Judgments tendered from the Plateau State High Court, Federal and Court of Appeal.
The Tribunal held that, the PDP is still in disobedience to Court Orders and hence not qualified to sponsor any candidate in an election and that the Petitioners have not called them to interpret the Judgments, but to enforce or give effect to them being Judgments of competent and Superior Courts.
The Tribunal therefore, while granting the reliefs sought by the Petitioners in both Petitions in their Gronds Three (3) has set aside the declarations of INEC in both elections. It has declared the votes to the PDP in the elections as wasted votes and has ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Danjuma Azi and Rt. Hon. Moses Sule and further ordered INEC to issue certificates of return to the second highest vote scorers in both Petitions (Hon. Sunday Mark Na’ah and Hon. Daniel Naanlong Gapyil).
While reacting and fielding answers to questions from Journalists at the Tribunal premises, Hon. Sunday Mark Na’ah and Hon. Daniel Naanlong Gapyil, called on their supporters to celebrate calmly, as this is the first phase of the legal battle.
They however, thank God for the feat achieved and believe it is a booster to face the next stage, which is the Court of Appeal.
According to Hon. Naanlong, “The victory will give me more opportunity to serve my constituents as they have missed good representation in the past few months”.
Also reacting to the Judgments was Suleiman Mohammed (Sarikin Yaki APC Plateau State).
He said, “I am happy because the truth has come out that the PDP has no structure in Plateau State. I am also happy because our candidates’ mandates have been restored. I am therefore expecting them to help maintain the peace which our former Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong had established”.
You would recall that REALITY had reported yesterday, that the Tribunal had also sacked the PDP member in the House representing Bokkos State Constituency.
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