BREAKING: S’Court affirms Caleb as Plateau elected Gov
By Faith Awa Maji
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the election of Caleb Mathis Mutfwang as dully elected Governor of Plateau State in the 2023 March 18 governorship poll.
The Supreme Court on January 9, 2024, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Governor Caleb Mutfwang urging it to uphold his election.
The Governor had alleged that he was not given a fair hearing by the Court of Appeal, therefore its decision to nullify his election was manifestly flawed.
The Court of Appeal on November 19 sacked the governor and declared the governorship candidate of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, winner. Mutfwang faulted this and asked the Supreme Court to restore his mandate.
In his eight issues distilled before the Court of Appeal, Governor Mutfwang argued through his legal team led by Kanu Agabi that only one of them was determined as others were untouched. He said the decision of the Court of Appeal was contrary to the directive of the Supreme Court that intermediate courts should pronounce on all issues placed before it.
The appellant told the Supreme Court that when he presented eight issues before the Court of Appeal, only one was considered to invalidate his election. During the hearing of the appeal on Tuesday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by John Okoro took arguments from lawyers to parties in the case.
After a fierce session of arguments between Mr. Mutfwang’s counsel, Kanu Agabi, and Mr. Yilwatda’s counsel, J.O Olatoke, the Supreme Court said a date for judgment would be communicated to parties in the suit.
But before reserving judgment in the appeal, the Supreme Court raised two fundamental questions as to whether the tribunal had jurisdiction to listen to issues of party congresses. And also whether given its judgments in several cases, issues of nomination and sponsorship which are pre-election matters can be entertained by the Tribunal.
