Election Tribunal strikes out PDP petition challenging LG results in Langtang North

The Justice Jovita Binjin-led Plateau Election Tribunal on
Friday, struck out a PDP Langtang North petition that was
challenging the results of the Oct. 10 Local Government
elections.

Binjin, in a ruling delivered on resumption from Vocation, said
the petition was filed out of time and so lacked the loco standi to
be heard. Prof. Fabian Ntung, Chairman, Plateau State Independent
Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), had on Oct.16 declared APC
candidates winners of the 13 LGAs that took part in the council
polls. Mr Ubandoma Joshua, PDP candidate, through his Counsels, led
by Mr Harrison Uguala, challenged the decision of PLASIEC before
the threeman election tribunal, inaugurated by Gov, Simon
Lalong.

Joshua had prayed the court to declare the action of PLASIEC
null and void for declaring Mr Kparunim Nanchin of APC, winner and
declare him winner of the election. He claimed that he scored
24,183 votes against 18, 018 votes of APC candidate. Chief Garba
Pwul (SAN), counsel to APC candidate had told the court that
Joshua’s petition was filed out of the 21 days as provided by the
state electoral laws. He,therefore, urged the court to strike out
the case. He argued that no result of the elections was announced
by any returning officer to warrant the petitioner challenging it
at the tribunal.

Upholding Pwul’s arguments, the tribunal chairman ruled that it
was wrong for the petitioners to have challenged the results not
declared by any returning officer. “The tribunal concluded, “The
petitioners have failed to meet up with mandatory 21 days filing of
their petition according to law and therefore the petition is
struck out.” Speaking shortly after the ruling, Uguala said that
the party would appeal the tribunal’s decision after studying
it.