All Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidatures in the Plateau State elections of 2023 are deemed void and null by Justice Abdulaziz Waziri of the Court of Appeal.
At the 2023 Law Week in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, on Monday, Justice Waziri informed the delegates that the PDP had no structure when it presented all of its candidates, thus the appeal court was right to remove all of the party’s state lawmakers.
In response to strong criticism of the Court of Appeal’s ruling to void the elections of all PDP lawmakers at the state and federal levels, Justice Waziri made his statement.
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Judge Waziri went on to say that, against popular belief, the lawsuit against the PDP in Plateau State was not a pre-election matter.
Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria, is among the many Nigerians who have harshly attacked the Court of Appeal for dismissing PDP lawmakers and promoting candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has an appeal pending before the Supreme Court; the judge, however, chose not to address it directly.
Depending on your definition of qualifying, the requirement can apply to both pre- and post-election issues.
“The chairman of our chapter (the Nigerian Bar Association) correctly pointed out that the problem in Plateau State is not a pre-election subject.
“The Plateau State High Court issued an order for the PDP to have their congresses; the party disregarded the ruling, filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s ruling.
“They did not follow through on the appeal that they filed with the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court rejected the appeal, so at that moment in time, there were no established procedures. Thus, in the perspective of the law, any candidate they had fielded would be ineligible.
That’s what transpired, and we claimed that there was no party structure, that there was disobedience of a court order, and that all of the elected members should resign. And whoever comes in second, the APC or Labour (Party) grabbed their spots.
“However, I won’t remark on the gubernatorial (election) because it’s up for debate. Speaking to the assembly, Justice Waziri stated that the matter was before the Supreme Court.
