From Yakubu Busari,Jos
The Jos Division of the Federal High Court has held that Dr Patrick Dakum is the authentic flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP) having fulfilled all the necessary conditions of the Electoral Act of 2022 in pursuant to party guidelines.
Amb. Yohanna Margif has approached the court to seek an order to declare him as the legitimate candidate of the Labour party.
Justice Dorcas Agishi while delivery judgment in a suit FHC/J/CS/76/, filed by Ambassador Yohanna Margif against Labour Party, and two others challenging the candidature of Dr. Patrick Dakum as the authentic governorship Candidate of the party in plateau state ahead 2023 general election, struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
Recall that Amb. Yohanna Margif was expelled in his ward as a member of the party, after he had written a withdrawal letter to the party leading to the cancellation of the party primary conducted on the 5th of October 2022 and the rescheduling of a fresh congress on the 6th of October 2022 in which he didn’t participated.
But Justice Agishi declared Dr. Patrick Dakum as the legitimate Labour Party (LP) Gubernatorial candidate in Plateau State for the 2023 General Elections after fulfilling the party guidelines supervised INEC.
Justice Agishi affirmed that Hon Margrif withdrew his candidature by virtue of the documents tendered by Dr. Dakum as exhibits.
The court ruled that the Plaintiff Ambassador Margrf lack the loco standi to challenge the 2nd respondent Patrick Dakum in the matter because he is not a member of the Labour party which produced Patrick Dakum.
Justice Agishi further ruled that the Electoral Law of 2010 has put the case to rest by throwing more light in the grey areas which said any candidate that didn’t take part in an election lacks the locus standi to challenge what transpired in that very exercise and lacks the moral right to question the abnormalities that played out during the exercise.
The Justice Agishi further said that the exhibit before the honourable court has not only proved, but clear shown that the plaintiff Margif resigned on his own accord and so didn’t take part in the primary conducted under the watchful eyes of INEC which legalized the entire process.
According to her, even at the time under review, the plaintiff has been expelled from the party.
