Plateau State Assembly Tribunal Reserves Ruling On Langtang North Central Seat

Yakubu Busari

The Langtang North Central of the State House of Assembly Election Tribunal has reserved a ruling to the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate, Hon Cirdum Nanbol Josiah against Nanbol Buromfwat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to be communicated to parties.

Jim Gotom ,Esq , counsel to the petitioners told the trial tribunal that the case was scheduled for hearing on the motion on notice filed by the petitioners and then the main motion which INEC reacted and also filed the reply by the petitioners.

The 2nd and 3rd respondents told the trial tribunal that they were all ready to proceed and the petitioners, Jim Gotom explains their motion on notice dated 8/7/2023 and filed on 10/07/2023 where the application is seeking relief and prayers which is predicted on 8 grounds in support of the application is a 6 paragraphs affidavit and attached to the petitioners was a written address.

The petitioners urged the trial tribunal to grant his application and allow it to scale through to readmit the 4th&5th respondents join the suit as party.

W.A.Olajide , counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the first respondent whose response to the petitioner’s request was dated  17/07/2023 and filed on 19/07/2023  they explained that it was on point of law as adopted.

Then, the 2nd and 3rd respondents Mr. Bitrus Fwangshak ,Esq , says the response dated 03/07/2023 is a reply on point of law and filed on 14/07/2023, we hereby adopt it as our oral evidence by urging the trial tribunal to grant the application as prayed.

The first respondent, Olajide in their position filed a written address dated 17/07/2023 and filed on 17/07/2023, we adopt and rely on all the legal arguments by urging the trial tribunal to dismiss that the petitioners didn’t have the sole power because it is not a criterion or jurisprudence to put nothing on nothing in the present case where the tribunal will exercise inherent power over matter it had already struck out.

According to him, the petitioners can’t go on negotiating for the 4th&5th jurisprudence which was earlier struck out by the coming in of the Labour Party and it candidate, Hon .Daniel Nanbol-listic . it is a final order that clarified their intention in the ruling of Appeal, Court where the Supreme Court judgment settled the uproar.