The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has nullified the election of the Governor of Plateau State, Mutfwang Manasseh of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The court in a unanimous judgement held that qualification is both pre and post election matter.
Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, the Chairman of the 3-man panel ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to retrieve the certificate of return issued to Governor Mutfwang and issue a fresh one to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Goshwe.
In the ruling, the court held that the PDP violated a court order that directed it to conduct proper congresses in the 17 local governments of the state. The court held that the PDP conducted congresses in only five local governments thereby rendereing the nomination of Governor Caleb Mutfwang a nulity.
According to the court, the PDP did not show any evidence that it complied with a Plateau State High Court Order that mandated it to conduct proper congress before the nomination of Governor Mutfwang as its governorship candidate.
