Appeal Court sacks senate minority leader, Simon Mwadkwon

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has sacked Simon Mwadkwon, the Senate minority leader and lawmaker representing Plateau North under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A three-member panel presided over by Daudu Williams, on Sunday, held that Mr Mwadkwon was not validly nominated by the PDP for the election because 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) did not participate in the congress that elected him as candidate of the party for the election.

The panel subsequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a rerun for the Plateau North Senatorial seat within 90 days.

INEC had confirmed Mr Mwadkwon as the winner of the 25 February senatorial election.

Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP) who were dissatisfied with the declaration filed petitions before the National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, to challenge the victory of Mr Mwadwakon.

The tribunal in its judgement dismissed the petitions on the ground that it lacked merit.

Messrs Giwa and Zi who were further dissatisfied with the tribunal decision approached the appeal court to challenge the judgement of the tribunal.

The court of appeal after hearing arguments of the three parties agreed that Mr Mwadkwon was not validly nominated as the party’s candidate for the senatorial poll.