APPEAL COURT SACKS PLATEAU GOVERNOR, ASKS INEC TO WITHDRAW CERTIFICATE OF RETURN
Written by Olakunle Oke on November 20, 2023
In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has sacked Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang. The three-member panel of justices unanimously ruled that Mutfwang’s nomination and sponsorship by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the March 18 gubernatorial election was invalid.
The appellate court declared all votes cast for Mutfwang and the PDP null and void, effectively annulling the results of the election. The panel, led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revoke the Certificate of Return issued to Mutfwang as the winner of the governorship poll.
Furthermore, the court ordered that the candidate who garnered the second highest number of valid votes should be sworn in as the rightful governor of Plateau State. This decision is a significant setback for Mutfwang and the PDP, and it is expected to have far-reaching implications for the political landscape of Plateau State.
