Appeal court affirms Lalong’s election as Plateau south senator

The court of appeal in Abuja has affirmed the judgement of a tribunal which declared Simon Lalong, minister of labour, as the winner of the Plateau south senatorial election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Napoleon Bali, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election with 148,844 votes.

However, after hearing the petition filed by Lalong and the All Progressives Congress  (APC), the tribunal in Plateau state annulled Bali’s election.

In a unanimous judgement delivered on September 11, the tribunal led by Muhammad Tukur, held that the PDP lacked the right to participate in the election.

Consequently, Lalong was affirmed as the duly elected senator.

Delivering judgement in the appeal filed by Bali and the PDP, a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, held that the tribunal was correct in its decision.

Williams-Dawodu ruled that the PDP failed to obey a subsisting order of the Plateau high court delivered in 2022 which ordered the party to conduct a fresh congress in the 17 LGAs in the state.

The appellate court panel held that the non-compliance with the order by the PDP invalidated Bali’s candidacy in the election.

“As at February 25, PDP was on a faulty background at nomination of candidate for any election. It has no legal foundation upon which its candidate nomination can stand,” the court held.

“A positive order of court must be complied with unless such order is voided and set aside by a higher court.

“In the instant case, the lawful existing and subsisting court order was that PDP should conduct elections in line with provisions of the law to have officers at wards, local governments and state council but the party for reasons best known to it, opted to go against the order.

“I cannot but agree totally with the judgment of the Plateau national assembly election tribunal which on September 11, 2023, nullified the participation of PDP in the February 25 national assembly election.”

Meanwhile, in August, Lalong was appointed as labour minister by President Bola Tinubu after his two-term tenure as Plateau state governor.

Reacting to the ruling, Lalong described it as “a win for democracy, unity, and the people”.

Just received fantastic news in Geneva! The Court of Appeal confirms my position as Senator for Plateau South Senatorial District,” he wrote on X.

“A win for democracy, unity, and the people. Let’s work together to bring progress and the #RenewedHopeAgenda to our community and nation.”