Lalong wins as tribunal sacks Plateau PDP Senator, Rep

An election petition tribunal in Jos has sacked the senator representing Plateau South senatorial district, Napoleon Bali, and the member representing Barikin Ladi/ Riyom federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Peter Gyendeng.

The tribunal subsequently declared the immediate past governor of the state, Simon Lalong, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the validly elected senator of the Plateau South district.

The tribunal also declared Fom Dalyop of the Labour Party (LP) as the validly elected representative of the Barikin Ladi/ Riyom federal constituency.

The electoral commission, INEC, had declared that Messrs Lalong and Dalyop came second in their respective elections held on 25 February.

Both the APC and LP candidates asked the tribunal to nullify the election of Mr Bali (PDP) and Mr Gyendeng (PDP) on the ground that the PDP did not have a proper party structure and, therefore, could not file candidates for the elections.

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They added that INEC did not comply with the new Electoral Act and guidelines as of the time of conducting the election.

In their separate rulings at the court, Omaka Elekwo (for the Senate election) and Muhammad Tukur (for the Reps election) nullified the election of the two PDP candidates because of the party’s refusal to respect the order of a Jos High court to conduct ward congresses before the last general elections.

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The judges further said the evidences presented by the APC and LP candidates were relevant and admissible, adding that all the votes cast for the PDP candidates were invalid.

The sacked lawmakers are, however, expected to appeal the tribunal’s ruling and will remain in office until the conclusion of the appeals.

Mr Lalong is now a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s administration and is expected to continue in that office despite Monday’s ruling.