Afrigather That the judgments of the completely different Elections Petition Tribunals, throughout the nation have shocked Nigerians is an understatement. And to motive that the Appellate courtroom that ought to look into these bizarre judgments, with a view to redressing among the anomalies, in addition to restore hope within the judiciary, seems to not have carried out it accountability as much as the expectations of Nigerians. That the Individuals’s Democratic Celebration (PDP) and different opposition events have been focused victims on this travesty of justice and, for no matter causes, stays not only a truth, however severe trigger for concern.
Plateau State chapter of the PDP, from all indications, has been put aside by some highly effective forces from inside and with out, as the item of the on-going show of jungle justice. In 2019 the social gathering had Senator J. T. Useni, as its gubernatorial candidate. The social gathering did all it may however some how misplaced the election which raised points within the social gathering.
The tenure of the state social gathering EXCO expired in 2020. A caretaker Committee was put in place, vide a letter from the nationwide headquarters of the social gathering, signed by Col (rtd) Austin Akobundu, the Nationwide Organising Secretary of the social gathering. This gave delivery to the Hon Gwott Chocho-led Caretaker Committee, whose tenure ended on Might 10, 2020.
To handle the state of affairs and restore sanity, the Nationwide headquarters of the social gathering, arrange a Committee headed by Senator Suleiman Adokwe, with three members every, from the 2 factions. The Adokwe-led Committee carried out a Congress on August 29, 2020 in the course of the COVID-19 and Hon Chris Hassan emerged Chairman, defeating Hon Bitrus Kaze. Hon Kaze determined to method a Jos Excessive Court docket, to problem the election of Chris Hassan.
On November 26, 2020, Justice S P Gang of the Jos Excessive Court docket, ordered the PDP to dissolve the Chris Hassan – led EXCO and conduct a repeat Congress. On June 10, 2021, the Nationwide Working Committee of the PDP determined to arrange a Particular Committee to look into the matter, headed by Senator Tunde Ogbeha. It was given 90 days inside which to kind out all the problems and conduct a contemporary Congress. After working tirelessly, the Ogbeha Committee organized a repeat Congress on September 25, 2021. Hon Chris Hassan defeated Hon Bitrus Kaze to emerge because the state Chairman of the social gathering.
With this improvement, the disaster within the social gathering was deemed to have been put to relaxation. It’s because to this point, no member of the PDP approached any courtroom to complain in regards to the conduct of the second congress. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, the APC picked on the conduct of the congress as its motive to name on the Tribunals and courtroom of enchantment, for the nullification of the election of all candidates elected on the platform of the PDP. In the present day all candidates of the PDP who gained their elections, within the common elections, have been despatched packing, by the tribunal/ appellate courtroom.
It’s due to this fact essential that among the points bandied on the tribunal and Court docket of Attraction that had been used to nullify the election of PDP contestants from the state are reviewed, with an intent to place the information straight. The authorized crew of the APC has harped extensively, on the disobedience to courtroom orders, by the PDP, as causes for the nullification of the victories of its candidates.
From the transient abstract above, is the PDP responsible of disobedience to any courtroom order(s)? To reply this query it’s essential to take one other take a look at the abstract above. The one courtroom order the PDP was issued with was that of Justice S P Gang, in 2020, to conduct a repeat congress. This was considerably complied with in 2021, in the course of the September 25, 2021, Congress.
After this congress, there was no grievance earlier than any courtroom in any a part of the nation from a member of the social gathering in Plateau state, with regard to the congress. To due to this fact nullify elections that had been duly carried out according to the laid down pointers, below the excuse of disobedience to courtroom orders is, to say the very least, most disconcerting. Even the place there was a longtime case of disobedience to courtroom orders, it doesn’t quantity to a situation for the nullification of an election by an election tribunal or its enchantment courtroom. Priority to this impact exist.
