Plateau State Governorship Election: Tribunal Upholds Caleb Mutfwang’s Victory
Jos, Plateau State -.
In a significant legal development, the Plateau State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, situated in Jos, has upheld the triumph of Caleb Mutfwang, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in the state’s gubernatorial election.
Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), had contested the election outcome, alleging Mutfwang’s ineligibility to participate in the election.
Central to Goshwe’s argument was the validity of Mutfwang’s nomination by the PDP at the time of the election, asserting that the party lacked the necessary organizational structure.
After the governorship election held on March 18, which saw Caleb Mutfwang secure victory with an impressive 525,299 votes, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner. INEC also reported that Goshwe secured 481,370 votes.
However, in a recent verdict, the Tribunal dismissed Goshwe’s petition, citing a lack of merit.
This ruling comes on the heels of a previous dismissal of a petition by Alfred Dabwan, the gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), who had challenged Mutfwang’s election, citing the exclusion of his party’s logo from the ballot by the electoral body.