The national and state houses of assembly elections petition tribunal, sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, has declared the elections of four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Assembly members invalid due to a lack of structure.
Justice Mohammed Tukur decided unanimously in a three-member bench that the PDP candidates in the state were invalidly nominated due to the lack of a party organisation in the state.
The lawmakers affected in the judgment so far are Peter Gyendeng representing Barkin-Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency; Musa Bagos representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency; Beni Lar representing Langtang North/Langtang South Federal Constituency and Napoleon Bali, representing Plateau South Senatorial District.
Beneficiaries of the tribunal’s ruling are Fom Dalyop and Ajang Alfred Iliya of Labour Party for Barkin-Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency and Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency; Vincent Bulus Venman of APC for Langtang North/Langtang South Federal Constituency and Simon Lalong for Plateau South Senatorial Seat.
The PDP in the state has expressed dissatisfaction over the decision of the panel which contradicts an earlier ruling from another panel sitting on the national assembly elections petition tribunal.
However, counsels to the petitioners and respondents disagreed on the PDP’s view on the panel’s ruling on the petitions.