TWO witnesses in a petition filed by former Governor Simon Bako Lalong, of the APC challenging the declaration of Senator Napoleon Bali, of the PDP as winner of the Plateau-South Senatorial District , have testified before the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos that the declaration by INEC was unlawful.
Appearing as PW3 before Justice Tukur Muhammad-led Election Petition Tribunal Committee, the Deputy Chairman of PDP in Kwall-Mudeng Ward of Qua’an-Pan LGA, Plateau State, Namis Muhammed said, he was not aware of the claimed second state congresses by some unknown faction.
He pointed out that “As far as I am concerned and as a stakeholder of PDP, I am not aware of any second state congresses held to my notice.
“I have my membership card and I picked Nomination Form to contest for the position of Treasurer and had duly paid the administrative charges. I have the receipt of my payment with me here. I have gone round the eleven (11) Wards for 11 members to sign the form as specified in the party Constitution and subsequently submitted the original to the party office.
“Ever since then, I have not heard any information that there will be a second conduct of state congresses even as a stakeholder. But to my greatest surprise, I heard INEC displaying Napoleon Bali’s name as the sole PDP Senatorial candidate for the February 25 election and thereafter declaring him as winner of the election, even when PDP does not have a structure in place in the state”, he narrated.
Muhammed described the declaration of Bali by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the election as unlawful and wrong against the wishes of the electorate because PDP only exists at the federal level and not Plateau State, since they have no substantive party executive structure in the state.
On his part, while testifying before the tribunal as PW4, one Wumanna Bako, of the APC said, the acceptance of Napoleon Bali’s nomination as the sole candidate of the PDP by INEC was unlawful and a disregard to the court injunction and ruling of Federal High Court, because INEC was not supposed to accept the nomination knowing quite well the provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Law.
“We felt there was no need for my party to challenge the displacement of PDP candidate in the court, because we respect the earlier court position and ruling”
However, Counsel to the petitioners, Barrister SS Obande, told the tribunal that they still have ten witnesses to present when the tribunal sits subsequently.
The case was adjourned to July 21,2023 for further hearing.
