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Plateau Election Tribunal Upholds Gov. Lalong’s Election

The Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has affirmed the victory of Governor Simon Lalong in the April 11 governorship poll. Gyang Pwajok of the … Continue reading Plateau Election Tribunal Upholds Gov. Lalong’s Election


Plateau Governor Simon Lalong Re-Elected For A Second Term
A file photo of Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong.

PlateauThe Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has affirmed the victory of Governor Simon Lalong in the April 11 governorship poll.

Gyang Pwajok of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his party had dragged Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the tribunal.

The PDP claimed that there were cases of irregularities during the polls, asking the panel to nullify the election and declare Pwajok as winner.

Delivering judgment on the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr Gyang Pwajok, the three-man Tribunal held that all the petitions presented by the petitioners were based on documentary hearsay and that they could not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

The Tribunal also held that the petitioners abandoned their criminal case and concentrated on civil matters which they were unable to prove and thereby dismissed the petition for lack of merit.

Security operatives earlier barred journalists from entering the court room, saying they were acting on the orders of the panel.

It has been several months of motions, arguments and counter-motions at the Plateau State Governorship Election Tribunal before Justice Candide Johnson delivered his judgement on Monday.

On the issue of over voting, the Tribunal held that for over voting to be proved, the petitioner needed to have provided a witness to testify to that. It was therefore dismissed for the petitioners’ inability to take further action on the issue.

After the judgment was delivered, the chairmen of the PDP in the state, Raymond Dabo and his All Progressives Congress (APC), Latep Laban, counterpart in the state commend the judgment.

The Tribunal in the judgment also directed the petitioners to pay 50,000 Naira fine each to the three respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission, the APC and Governor Lalong.