The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the election of Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State.

According to Leadership Newspaper, the three-member panel, in a unanimous verdict delivered on Sunday, ruled that Muftwang’s nomination by the Peoples Democratic Party was invalid, contravening Section 285(2) of the Nigerian Constitution.

This ruling upholds the appeal filed by Nentawe Goshwe of the All Progressives Congress, who challenged the validity of Muftwang’s election because the PDP failed to conduct proper ward, local government, and state congresses before nominating candidates for the various elective positions.

The panel, in its judgment, concluded that the PDP’s failure to comply with the order of the Plateau State High Court in Jos in suit no: PLD/J304/2020 and the Court of Appeal order in CA/J1/93/2021 constituted a breach of the law and rendered Muftwang’s nomination invalid.

Furthermore, the panel found that the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal erred in its judgment by relying on expunged witnesses’ statements to dismiss Goshwe’s appeal. This, according to the panel, amounted to a breach of fair hearing.

The panel set aside the judgement of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal for being “highly inconsistent and breach of fair hearing by relying on expunged witnesses’ statements to refuse Goshwe’s appeal”.