In Plateau State, the recent decision of the National Assembly election complaints tribunal is prompting strong emotions. The incident has raised eyebrows among ardent followers and party loyalists of the state’s numerous political parties.
The primary opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have continued to spar over the verdict that the tribunal has so far rendered.
The PDP was the first to express concern over what they perceived to be an incorrect decision, claiming that it had rejected the decisions of the National Assembly Election Tribunal that had invalidated the victories of Senator Napoleon Bali (PDP), Plateau South, and Peter Gyendeng, the representative for the federal constituency of Barkin Ladi/Riyom.
According to the aforementioned tribunal, Chollom Fom of the Labour Party (LP) won the Barkin Ladi/Riyom constituency, and former governor Simon Lalong of the APC won the Plateau South senatorial election.
The Tribunal claims that the ruling is upheld since the PDP in the state lacked a legitimate framework to run in the most recent general election.
However, state party chairman Hon. Chris Hassan urged calm during a press conference in Jos, noting that PDP had watched with shock and anxiety as their senatorial candidate for Plateau South and their member of the House of Representatives for the Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency had their elections annulled by Hon. Justice M.B. Tukur and two other judges, Hon. Justice Omaka Elewa and Hon. Justice O. A. Adetujoye.
