Tribunal upholds Plateau Governor’s election

The governorship election petition Tribunal sitting in Jos the Plateau State Capital yesterday upheld the election of Governor Simon Bako Lalong of the All Progressive Congress (APC), as the authentic winner of the April 11 governorship election.

Delivering the judgement, Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Johnson Candida said that the petitioner has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The Tribunal held that only two of the polling agents were able to prove their case as the other 10 witnesses presented by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), spoke mostly in Hausa language, saying that Hausa is not an admissible language in court.
The Tribunal Chairman reaffirmed that the governorship election in seven LGA of Plateau State which includes, Mangu, Pankshin, Jos North, Shendam, Wase, Jos East and Kanam, with a total votes different of 44,646 votes cannot be void by the petitioner.
The Tribunal also said the issue of over voting and intimidation brought before him by the petitioner cannot be substantiated.
Responding the PDP Chairman said that they would have expected the tribunal to deliver composite judgment in view of the suit still before the supreme court.
He however congratulated governor Simon Lalong for his victory explaining that the party had not greeted him earlier in view of the case before the tribunal.
Consequently, the APC Chairman Hon. Latep Daban express gratitude to the judges for delivering unbiased judgement. He said the victory at the tribunal will enable the APC to settle down for governance.
However, the Tribunal ordered the PDP to pay a fine of 50,000 thousand naira to the Respondent.
It will be recalled that the petitioners (PDP) had asked the tribunal to nullify the April 11 governorship election in Plateau state.