The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the governor of Plateau State, North central of the country, Caleb Mutfwang seeking to overturn the judgment of the Court of Appeal which nullified his election.
A five-member Panel of Justices of the Apex Court led by Justice Inyang Okoro reserved judgment after hearing arguments from parties in the appeal.
Governor Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the appeal, is praying the Supreme Court to uphold the judgment of the Election Petitions Tribunal and set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal on grounds that the respondents have no right to question how a party elects its State Executives.
The appellant also stated that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Goshwe and his Party can not plead that the Governor did not score the number of lawful votes ascribed to him at the same time say the election was invalid.
They alleged that disobedience to a subsisting order of the Court is not part of the grounds to consider in disqualifying a candidate sponsored by a political party.
The APC and its candidate on their part, argued that the PDP is in disobedience of a valid court order that directed them to conduct Congresses in 17 Local Government Areas, but only conducted in 5 of the areas.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
