THE Supreme Court, on Friday, January 12, upheld the election of Caleb Mutfwang as the duly elected governor of Plateau State.
Justice Emmanuel Agim, who delivered the judgment, held that the appeal by the governor had merit.
The governor, in his appeal, had sought to reclaim his mandate following his sacking by the Court of Appeal, which had in a unanimous decision in November last year ruled that Mutfwang was not sponsored by PDP and that Nentawe Yilwada of APC won the election, despite securing 481,370 votes, as against the governor’s 525,299 votes.
The election tribunal had earlier affirmed Muftwang’s victory.
The apex court’s judgment elicited wild jubilation in Jos, the state capital, immediately the news filtered in. Major roads in Jos and Bukuru metropolis were blocked by the jubilants, with some of them asking governor to declare Monday, January 15, as public holiday.
Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Sylvanus Namang, said: “We have always respected the decision of the Judiciary and this is the final verdict and, as such, there is nothing anyone can do.”
A former governor of the state, Senator Jonah Jang, stated: “Surely, it is because of God’s mercy that He has allowed us to witness the good news today. Indeed, the governor’s victory is a victory for democracy and against the wishes of anti- democratic forces.
“We must thank the Justices for upholding the rule of law, thereby affirming the long held belief that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. We thank them for not allowing themselves to be manipulated, because we are aware that the same forces of darkness, in their usual manner, had wanted to thwart the mandate of the people, plunge the state into disarray and set us years backwards.
“But we thank God, because that evil intention was not allowed to stand, as the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
Jang added: “The people of Plateau, through the Government of Plateau State and the PDP, have already petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) to review all the judgments involving the state that were delivered by the Court of Appeal, which effectively stopped those that have been elected to the national and the state Assemblies from representing their constituencies
“With the Supreme court judgement, it has become an abnormality for them to remain as legislators when they could not win elections at the poll. This should not be allowed to stand. The authorities must give back to the people their true representatives and restore their mandate.
