The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday affirmed the judgment of the tribunal, declaring the Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong as the winner of the Plateau South Senatorial election.
It was earlier learned that Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party winner of the election was declared winner of the Plateau South Senatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after scoring 148,844 votes to defeat Samuel Lalong who scored 91, 674 to come second in the February 25 elections.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Lalong asked the tribunal to nullify Bali’s election because the PDP did not have a proper party structure and, therefore, could not file candidates for the elections.
Justice Muhammad Tukur-led panel of the tribunal held that the PDP, having no structure, lacked the right to have taken part in the election, adding that the votes scored by Bali in the February 25, 2023, general elections were wasted votes.
Bali approached the appeal court, asking the court to set aside the judgment.
The three-man panel of the Appeal Court led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, held that the matter was both a pre and post-election matter, adding that the tribunal was correct to have looked at the issue.
She held that the PDP was wrong not to have obeyed subsisting orders asking that a new congress should be conducted in the state.
“Section 287 of the Nigerian Constitution said all are expected to observe orders of the court. The order was in the realm. It is binding all persons. It is immutable and until it is set aside and must be complied with.
“This issue is hereby resolved against the appellant. Invalidly nominated candidates cannot attract lawful votes. This appeal fails. The tribunal judgment is hereby affirmed,” she held.