The Court of Appeal removes Senate Minority Leader, Mwadkwon, mandates a new election

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has invalidated the triumph of Simon Mwadkwon, the Senate Minority Leader, in the Plateau North senatorial election held on February 25. Consequently, the Appeal Court has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize a new election within a 90-day timeframe.

The court rendered this verdict following the appeals lodged by Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP). Giwa and Zi contested the decision of the National/State Election Petitions Tribunal in Jos, Plateau State, which had previously affirmed Mwadkwon of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the legitimate winner of the senatorial election.

Their argument revolved around Mwadkwon’s eligibility to run for the election, contending that the PDP lacked the necessary organizational structure. Justice E. Daudu, who delivered the lead judgment, pointed out that the PDP had not fully complied with a High Court order, as 12 local government areas had not participated in the party congress.

Daudu stated, “The court made comprehensive findings regarding the matter at hand. To prevent chaos, I concur with the appellants that the court must safeguard the order of another court. I agree with the appellant that the third respondent (PDP) had no valid structure and could not claim to have validly nominated the second respondent (Mwadkwon) for the election. Given the court’s findings, the appeal, therefore, succeeds because the court order was not adhered to. The first respondent (INEC) is hereby instructed to conduct a fresh senatorial election in Plateau North within 90 days.”