By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
The Supreme Court of Nigeria, Tuesday, reserved its judgement on appeal instituted by the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, challenging the nullification of his election by the Court of Appeal.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, adjourned the appeal for judgement, after all the parties argued their case and adopted their processes.
In his argument, Governor Mutfwang, through his counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, prayed the court dismiss the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which sacked him from office.
Agabi, SAN, argued that after the tribunal properly evaluated both documentary and oral evidence that were adduced by the parties, dismissed as lacking in merit, the petition that was lodged against the outcome of the governorship election by candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC)Mr. Nentawe Goshwe.
He further submitted that the onus of conducting a primary election to select candidates to be sponsored in an election, rests on the National Executive organ of the party.
“A number of exhibits were tendered to prove that valid Congress was conducted and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“A video was played before the tribunal showing that congresses held and the person that instituted the court action was see in the video, participating in the process.”
Concluding, he posited that the sponsorship and nomination of a candidate in an election, being a pre-election issue, was of jurisdiction of both the tribunal and the appellate court.
On his part, the APC candidate, through Prof. Joseph Olatoke, SAN, asked the court to uphold the Court of Appeal judgement that ordered the INEC to issue Certificate of Return.
He insisted that his is the candidate that garnered the highest number of valid votes in the governorship poll.
According to him, PDP’ is structureless in the state, as it refuses to elect its State Executives as ordered by the court, hence, not capable of presenting a valid candidate in the governorship election.
In the same vern, counsel to the APC, Mr. Omosanya Popoola, asked the court to uphold the judgement that sacked the Appellant from office.