Plateau Tribunal affirms election of Hon. Cornelius Doeyok, dismissed Prof.Maiyaki SAN, APC petition
By Daniel Agada, Jos
National and State Houses of Assembly Tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau State capital, has on Monday affirmed the election of Hon. Cornelius Doeyok as the elected member representing Qua’an-Pan South State constituency in Plateau 10th Assembly election held 18th March,2023.
Recall the 1st and 2nd petitioners, Professor Theodore Maiyaki Bala SAN and APC in a case filed number EPT/PL/SHA/16/2023 is challenging the declaration of the 2nd respondent, Hon.Cornelius Doeyok by the 1st respondent INEC on the said election.
However, the ground upon which petitioners petition was predicated is that the 2nd respondent was not qualified to contest election because the 3rs respondent, PDP, had invalid structure in Plateau as they failed to complied with the order of Court.
The petitioners further alleged that the election of House of Assembly Langtang South constituency witnessed substantial non compliance with electoral guideline.
Delivering verdict on the matter, Hon.Justice Emmanuel Nwazunku PhD held that the petitioners contravened section 285(14)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Justice Nwazunku maintained that the petitioners are not members of the 3rd respondent PDP and therefore, lacks a locus standard to challenge the nomination and sponsorship of the 2nd respondent Cornelius Doeyok by the 3rd respondent.
“Based on the evidence adduce before the Tribunal it is crystal clear that the 3rd respondent PDP has duly complied with Court order in the case of Bitrus Maze and others against PDP and others.
Meanwhile the evidence of Pw2 and Pw3 were expunged from the records of Tribunal for filing out of time.
Ground two of the petition is for Tribunal to examine whether the election of 2md respondent was substantially comply with electoral guideline. Hon. Justice Nwazunku acknowledged that the petitioners abandoned ground two of their pleadings.
“The petition lacks merit and I hereby dismissed it and affirmed the return of the 2nd respondent, Hon.Cornelius Doeyok as a duly elected member representing Qua’an-Pan South in the Plateau State House of Assembly”.
Speaking to newsmen after the Tribunal judgment, Hon.Cornelius Doeyok, said
“I feel elated and to God be the glory, you know no man can take the glory of God because the voice of the people are the voice of God, and the people of Qua’an-Pan actually make their noise through their voice and the Tribunal have affirmed their votes. So it is a joyful thing.
“The petitioners just take us in a voyage that is needless.
“Of course the Tribunal is a distraction but now in line with our slogan “better legislation” we want to give our constituency a good legislation, we want to support them in wherever we can support and I can assured you more dividends of democracy would come to my people.
“My opponent been a gentle man that I know him, as a learned silk he understand the law and he will take this thing the way it is. Probably he was not brief as to the fact that PDP has a valid structure in Plateau. Even during his cross examination when he came to testified at the Tribunal but now were going to work together and get the idea that he has to add up to my own to see that the people of Qua’an-Pan South are better of for it”.
