Appeal court sacks senate minority leader, orders rerun

The court of appeal in Abuja has nullified the election of Simon Mwadkwon, senator representing Plateau north senatorial district in the national assembly.

Mwadkwon is the minority leader of the senate.

A three-member panel of the appellate court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in the district within 90 days.

The appeal was filed by Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP) challenging the judgment of the petitions tribunal.

The appellants had contended that Mwadkwon was not qualified to contest the election on the grounds that the PDP failed to comply with a previous order of a Plateau high court delivered in 2020.

In its judgment, the appellate court agreed that the high court order was not fully complied with by the PDP as 12 LGAs did not participate in the said party congress.

“The court made total findings with regard to the issue in focus,” the court held.

“To avoid anarchy, I agree with the appellants that the court must protect an order of another court.

“I agree with the appellant that the third respondent had no valid structure and could not have claimed to have validly nominated the second respondent (Mwadkwon) for the election.

“Given the findings of this court, the appeal, therefore, succeeds as the court order was not complied with.

“The first respondent is hereby ordered to conduct another senatorial election in Plateau North within 90 days.”