PDP’s Muftwang wins at Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang as the apex court dismissed the petition of Nentawe Yilwada of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

Recall that the The Court of Appeal in Abuja in November 2023 nullified the election of Mutfwang in a unanimous decision in which the three-member panel ruled that Muftwang was not sponsored by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 

The court held that the appeal brought by Nentawe Goshwe of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was valid as the issue of qualification was both a pre and post-election matter under Section 177(c) of the Nigerian Constitution and Sections 80 and 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

 

But in the Supreme Court ruling, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju said: “It was very wrong for the Court of Appeal to go into the issue of party congresses. To make make matters worse, the party challenging the issue is another political party.”

 

She added that the Court of Appeal made a fundamental error by shifting the burden of proof on Governor Mutfwang.