From Yakubu Busari,Jos
Barr Munir Abdullahi and Edward Pwajok SAN,
The crisis over the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Plateau State Chapter has deepened as the one of the candidates laying claim to the ticket, Eng Dung Bot has dragged the running to his rival Dr Patrick Dakum to the Federal High Court No.2 sitting in Jos Division.
He is challenging the nomination of Barr. Edward Pwajok as running mate to Dakum.
The counsel to the petitioner, Barr. Munir Barau Abdullahi told the court that the matter was slated for hearing on the suit filed by his client, Engr Jack Dung Bot seeking the order of the court reverse the nomination of Barr. Edward Pwajok, SAN, as the running mate to Dr Patrick Dakum.
The party’s pre-election nomination degenerated into full, fresh conflict where two aspirants, namely Ambassador Yahaya Margif and Dr Patrick Dakum lcalimed victory of the primary. the party Deputy governorship candidate of the party in the state.
Abdullahi said they sought for adjournment to the 11th November,2022 to enable the parties file their preliminaries objection before the presiding judge, Justice Musa Kulliat
He said on the 4th Oct, 2022 INEC published the lists of governorships and their deputies in line with the INEC guideline across the 36 State of the Federation which prompted the reaction of Engr Jack Dung Bot whose name was substituted in the final list of the state chapter of the party
According to him, the law is very clear to the fact that once primary election has been conducted, and governorship candidate emerged as flag bearer, he would be responsible to nominate his own running mate and send the lists to INEC for approval.
He further explained that the moment INEC accepted the lists of parties after the primary that becomes individual that have acquired power to appoint any person for his running mate as deputy governor.
Munir Abdullahi pointed out that politically arrangement provides that before you remove the chosen person’s name, you must follow the laid down procedure as that in the Electoral Act. So the decision taken to appoint another deputy governorship without due process of the law is a violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Barr. Munir Abdullahi stressed that except when that the candidate dies, or when he voluntarily resigns his position of the post of deputy governor of his party, he remains the candidate. But the Labour Party, he submitted erroneously replaced Engr Dung Bot with Dr Patrick Dakum without consultation with the party executive.
He said, “there is not how you can just remove his name as the Deputy Governor and substitute it with another name without his consent and that is why we are in court to enforce his right.
Abdullahi said ,”till this moment, the Labour Party has not written any letter to my client that he has been substituted with another person for the seat of running mate “.
The 2nd respondent who doubled as the running mate of the party, Dr Patrick Dakum Edward Pwajok SAN, told the court that the matter is not ripe for hearing, and he has not filed any processes before the court, but choose to appear in court because of his high respect for the court and the rule of law.
He further asked for short adjournment to enable 2nd respondent file his replies in accordance with the laydown proceedings of the court and parties shall exchange brief.
Meanwhile, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said the decision of who is to be a running mate is an agreement between the principal and the running mate which is solely the decision of the governorship candidate and not for intruder to drag “us to court over simply issue.”
