The Peoples Democratic Party sought a review of the Court of Appeal’s decision on the Plateau State senate election on Wednesday.
It also urged the dissolution of the panel of justices who were hearing the case.
Debo Ologunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, made the appeal during a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, lamenting the disturbing pattern in which the Plateau Appeal Court panel purportedly issued contradicting decisions.
Ologunagba said, “The people of Plateau State are unsettled by allegations in the public domain that the Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel has been hugely compromised and induced by the failed All Progressives Congress in Plateau State to undermine the will of the people by snatching elections clearly won by the PDP and awarding same to the APC as now evidenced in its inexplicable varying judgments on same election context and circumstances.”
The PDP scribe said, “Specifically, in the case of Plateau North Senatorial District won by Senator Simon Mwadkwon of the PDP and the APC candidate coming third, the panel in its judgment delivered on Sunday 22nd October 2023 curiously annulled PDP’s victory and ordered INEC to conduct a rerun election among all the parties.
“In the case of Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency won by Hon. Musa Agar of the PDP and where the APC candidate also came third, the panel in its judgment delivered on Friday 27th October 2023 annulled the victory of the PDP and ordered a rerun excluding the PDP.
“In the third appeal case of Shendam/Quaan-Pan/Mikang Federal Constituency, won by Hon. Isaac Kwallu of the PDP with John Dafwan of the APC as runner-up, the Appeal Court Justices annulled the victory of the PDP candidate, declared the APC candidate as outright winner and ordered that the Certificate of Return issued to the victorious PDP candidate be withdrawn and a fresh Certificate of Return issued to the APC candidate.”
Ologunagba said the judgments had heightened tension in Plateau State.
“In the light of the foregoing, the PDP, in line with the aspiration and expectation of the people of Plateau State demands as follows:
“That the President of the Court of Appeal immediately disbands the Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel.
“That a new Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel be constituted to hear the remaining appeals as the current panel has shown manifest bias to unduly favour the APC candidates.
“The continued retention of the present Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel will be construed by the people of Plateau State as an act of insensitivity and injustice.”
