The Supreme Court ruling that validated the election of many state governors recently may have come and gone, but the ripple effects go on in various parts of the country.
Of particular interest is the confirmation of Mr. Caleb Mutfwang as the elected governor of Plateau State. Mutfwang’s election victory was quashed by the Court of Appeal (CA) even though the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Jos upheld his election.
The CA hinged its decision to sack Mutfwang and members of the National Assembly and Plateau State House of Assembly on the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that sponsored them.
Interestingly, the Supreme Court upheld the election of Mutfwang as the duly elected governor of Plateau State. The apex court came hard on the justices of the CA for perverting the cause of justice and even going into what it called pre-election matter where they have no jurisdiction, adding that there was ample evidence that the appellant did not disobey any court order.
One man directly affected by the miscarriage of justice by the CA and who is very happy with the decision of the Supreme Court is Senator Napoleon Bali who represented Plateau South from July to October 2023 before he was sacked by the CA.
With the Supreme Court judgment that upheld the election of Governor Mutfwang of the PDP, who was sacked by the CA for reasons bothering on his nomination, hope rises for former Senators Napoleon Bali, Simon Mwadkwon, members of the House of Representatives and 16 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly sacked for the same reasons by the CA.
Senator Napoleon Bali, speaking with Sunday Times on the issue said their legal team is weighing various options including going back to the court to explore any window to remedy the injustice done to them or live with it for the next three years and the option of recalling those brought to office by the CA judgment.
Bali said although he has not gone to his Plateau South senatorial district recently, he has it on good authority that the constituents are collecting signatures to recall Senator Simon Bako Lalong, the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment.
