In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a major blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State by nullifying the positions of 11 of its lawmakers in the state assembly.
The unanimous decision delivered by a panel led by Justice Okon Abang asserted that the sacked lawmakers from the PDP had garnered wasted votes during the March 2023 general election due to the absence of a party structure. Justice Abang emphasized that the PDP’s violation of Section 177 of the 1999 constitution rendered them ineligible to sponsor candidates in the election.
Consequently, the Court declared all second runners-up in the March 18 elections as the rightful winners, reshaping the political landscape in Plateau State.
The ousted PDP lawmakers are as follows:
Hon Timothy Dantong (Riyom)
Hon. Rimyat Nanbol (Langtang North Central)
Moses Sule (Mikang)
Salome Waklek (Pankshin)
Hon. Bala Fwangji (Mangu South)
Hon. Maren Ishaku (Bokkos)
Hon. Dagogot (Quaanpan North)
Nannim Langyi (Langtang North North)
Nimchak Rims (Langtang South)
Hon. Danjuma Azi (Jos North West)
Gwottson Fom (Jos South)
Hon. Abubakar Sani Idris (Mangu North)
The rulings mark a shift in the balance of power, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerging as the new leading party in the Plateau State parliament. The decision not only alters the political composition in the assembly but also underscores the legal ramifications of party structure adherence in electoral processes. The APC is now poised to take charge, signalling a significant turn of events in the state’s legislative affairs.
