Adebayo Adenrele
The Appeal Court sitting has nullified the election of the Senate Minority Leader, Sen Simon Mwadkon.
According to the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja, his nomination by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) was not valid.
The judge said it is their view court orders were not fully complied with by the PDP as 12 Local Government Areas, LGAs, didn’t participate in the congress.
The court also ordered a fresh election for the Plateau North Senatorial seat. The verdict came on Sunday, following a legal battle between Gyang Yaya Zi and the Labour Party (LP) as the 1st and 2nd Appellants, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Simon Mwadkwon, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents for the Plateau State Northern Senatorial District.
In suit number CA/J/EP/PL/SEN/15/2023, by Justice
Daudu Williams, E.O.Abangs, and Mohammed Mustapha, it was declared that the previous election of Sen. Simon Mwadkon null and void. In a momentous ruling, the court nullified the election of Sen Mwadkon and ordered a re-run election to be conducted within 90 days to determine the new representative for the Plateau North Senatorial District
In a comprehensive judgment, the Court cited non-compliance with a subsisting court order as a key factor in the decision. The pursuit of due process, the Court declared, necessitates a fresh election for the Plateau North Senatorial seat meaning the people’s democratic party PDP will not be participating in the rerun elections as declared by the appeal court
The ramifications of this ruling are sure to have a significant impact on the political landscape, and it raises questions about the legitimacy of previous elections. Stay tuned for further developments on this critical matter as the Plateau North Senatorial seat ruling has become a subject of intense scrutiny and speculation which may affect other pending cases in Plateau State.
