BREAKING NEWS: FEDERAL HIGH COURT ABUJA, DISMISSES PDP, HON. MWADKON, HON. AGAH’S CASE AGAINST INEC, AS INEC REFUSES NEW/DISQUALIFIED CANDIDATES

By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP),

The Federal High Court, Abuja Division has dismissed the case filed by Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), its candidates, Hon. Simon Mwadkon, and Hon. Musa Agah, against the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in which the Plaintiffs were seeking for an Order of Mandamus for INEC to include their names as PDP candidates in the slated rerun for Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos-North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State respectively, for want of Jurisdiction. REALITY just gathered.

You would recall that, REALITY had reported that, with Five (5) days to the slated Rerun Election fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the 3^rd of February 2024, for Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos-North Constituency, worries and political tension has continued to characterize the state’s political climate with the pending case.

You would also recall that, from the Motion Expert earlier filed dated 11^th January 2024 and moved on the 15^th of January 2024 by the Plaintiffs (PDP, Hon. Simon Mwadkon and Hon. Musa Agah) at the Federal High Court Abuja, in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/26/2024, the Plaintiffs had sought for an Order of the Federal High Court, granting leave to the candidate of the PDP in the 2023 Plateau North Senatorial District (Mwadkon) and that of Bassa/Jos-North House of Representatives candidate (Agah) respectively, to be included in the slated Rerun elections.

The sole defendant from the face of the Suit you would recall is INEC.

It also remains a fact that INEC had in an earlier Press Release stated firmly that the rerun election would not accommodate New/Disqualified candidates.

In INEC’s Press Release signed by, Sam Olumekun (mni), the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, dated Wednesday 17th January 2024, the Commission in part stated that:-

“The re-run elections are conducted pursuant to the orders of the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals.

“They are not fresh elections open to new/disqualified candidates which obviates the need to publish their personal particulars again.”

From findings in the state, the tension in the state is high as the election is only 5 days away and the PDP, its members, and supporters are still having their hopes hanging, even though the party has officially flagged off its campaign to garner votes.

REALITY, however, gathered that the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP), and the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), being the major contending political parties in the slated elections seem not perturbed, over the PDP flagged-off campaign.

REALITY further gathered that the candidates of APC, LP, and the PRP, have rather started applying a house-to-house campaign with little out-door campaign ceremonies.