PDP Was Wrongly Listed In Error By INEC  In Plateau -Hon Wallangko Tells Tribunal

Yakubu Busari

The Plateau State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in plateau state has on Tuesday 19th July 2023 adjourned to the 2nd August 2023 for the 1st Respondent INEC to open a defense in a suit filed by Hon. Wallangko Sylvester Ibrahim of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) against the declaration of Hon. Maren Ishaku  ,Member Representing  Bokkos State Constituency in the 10th assembly.

Mr. Wallangko of the All Progressive Congress APC, who is the first Petitioner in the case challenging the election of Hon. Ishaku Maren 2nd and Independent National Electoral Commission INEC 3rd Respondent respectively for declaring the 2nd respondent winner of 18th March House of Assembly Bokkos Constituency winner.

When the matter came up for the continuation of hearing, counsel to the Petitioners Barr Leo Ebi told the court that the matter is slated for hearing, however, seeks the trial tribunal to present to public harmless documents sought to be tender through the bar.

He tendered the documents to the tribunal, and Honourable Justice Tukur Mohammed granted the application and was the marked Exhibits as  P17a&b.

Hon. Wallangko Sylvester who is the immediate past Commissioner for Budget contested for the seat of state House of Assembly in Bokkos Constituency.

The witness in the case, during cross-examination in Chief, said he was a retired civil Servant and a politician resident in Kwatas ward of Bokkos LG.

In his disposition statement on oath dated 7th April 2023 in respect of the House of Assembly Election of Bokkos Constituency. The paragraphs of his statement on oath which he referenced during his statement and was adopted.

When asked, Sir, honorable Wallangko was asked if he cast his vote during the election. , he said yes.

If he was accredited with the use of the BVAS machine, and his face was captured, he answered in the affirmative.

In further cross-examination, he was asked if his party,  All Progressive Congress APC was on the ballot paper, and he said yes, whether PDP was also on the ballot too, he said yes, but wrongly because by subsisting court judgment, PDP was not supposed to be on the ballot.

Asked to confirm if not the only cleared political party by INEC that is on the ballot and if he is a member of Peoples Democratic Party PDP, he said yes.

When asked if you’re not a member of the PDP, he will not know what is happening in the party, he said no, I left PDP in 2015.

On further cross-examination, if he Challenged the nomination and sponsorship of the 2nd Respondent by the 3rd Respondent as a candidate in the aforementioned Election, he said no.

The former Commissioner of budget, and the candidate of APC plateau state House of Assembly Bokkos Constituency, told the court that INEC conducted a repeated Congress for PDP, on 25th September,2023.

To give more proof to his claim, the witness was asked to read a portion of an exhibit titled “Comprehensive Reports of INEC on PDP Congress held at Land Field on the  25th of September 2023.

whether he still stands by his statement that the candidacy of PDP is done in error, he said that is why he is presently in court to challenge the process in court.

The witness who claimed to have left PDP and decamped to APC in 2015, was giving Exhibits pa2a&b, Pa3a&b, Pa4a&b,Pa11a&b,P14&16 were shown to him for identification which has to do with a series of court judgments of PDP Congress.

whether he read all the cases mentioned relating to the conduct of PDP Congress, if PDP is disobedient to the various court judgments in Ex PIa&b which has to do with Britus Kaze case against PDP, he answered yes.

When further cross-examined and asked about the last case he made mentioned in his disposition on oath in Ex-Pa7a&b which has to do with the case of Musa Agah which was the last of the case you mentioned on 28th Oct 2023.

When asked if he has any other cases regarding the lack of structure of PDP  in the state, he said there are some other cases that he didn’t make reference to for the tribunal documentation.

Further said the case mentioned came after the case of Musa Agah on 28th Oct 2022.

Asked if he challenged the Election that brought the 2nd Respondent on board as a PDP candidate, he said that is the reason he is in the court to challenge the candidacy of the 2nd Respondent of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

And also admitted that non of the people that contested on the platform of the party Challenge the candidacy of PDP.

When further asked to confirm  Exhibit 18 the letter of honorable Choco of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, dated 29th April 2022. And also asked to confirm that the letter was written after the repeated, Congress, and answer the affirmative.

If he is aware of the Timku , PDP judgment dated 2nd Dec 2023 which came before the judgment referred to date,he said he didn’t know.

If he is aware that the court said PDP is not in any way a violation of the party’s Constitution in Section 50 Sub1 which stated that NWC shall be in a position to resolve all choices of candidates in the party-related issues.

Wallangko said the NWC cannot Carry out the said function without the input of the state Exco.

The matter is adjourned to 2nd August for the 1st Respondent to open defense.