Two members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have lost their seats at the House of Representatives to the All Progressives Congress, APC and Labour Party, LP, following the judgement of the appeal Court sitting in Abuja.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, the Appellate Court affirmed the tribunal sacking of Hon. Beni Butmak Lar representing Langtang North/Langtang South Federal Constituency while declaring APC’s Vincent Venman Bulus as duly elected candidate.
The INEC on 27th February, declared Butmak of the PDP winner with 42008 votes against APC’s Bulus of the APC who scored 21345 votes.
Dissatisfied Bulus & the APC approached the tribunal seeking the disqualification of Lar following the alleged disobedience of the PDP with respect to the Jos High Court order.
The Justice Muhammad Tukur-led panel upheld the arguments of the Petitioners, sacked Lar (a fifth-term lawmaker) and affirmed Bulus as winner.
Obviously aggrieved and hoping for the reversal of the decision, Butmak & the PDP headed to the higher and final Court in these matters.
In consolidated appeals; Suit Nos: CA/J/EP/PL/HR/25/23, CA/J/EP/PL/HR/26/23 & CA/J/EP/PL/HR/37/23, the Appeal Court affirmed Bulus as winner and ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Lar and issue same to Bulus.
Similarly, the Court of Appeal also affirmed the tribunal decision sacking Peter Ibrahim Gyendeng of the PDP. The Court affirmed Labour Party’s Fom Dalyop Chollom as Reps member representing Barkin-Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency.
Fom Chollom challenged the declaration of Gyendeng as winner of the 25th February polls.
Fom’s petition was hinged on the ground that Gyendeng was not validly nominated by his party claiming that PDP had no valid structure in the state at the time of his nomination as a candidate.
The tribunal unanimously agreed with the petitioner and sacked the PDP Candidate. The three-man panel further ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Gyendeng and issue same to Chollom.
However, the PDP Candidate went on appeal.
In consolidated appeals, Suit Nos: CA/J/EP/PL/HR/47/23 & CA/J/EP/PL/HR/23/23, the Court upheld the tribunal decision. The three-man appellate Justices held that the PDP had the opportunity to obey the Court order but chose not to. They held that the PDP had no valid structure.
They ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Gyendeng and issue same to Fom as duly returned winner.
