Court transfers Plateau LP guber candidates case to Abuja court

By Kingsley Chukwuka

The Federal High Court sitting in Jos has on Wednesday transferred the Plateau State Labour Party Governorship case to the Federal High Court Headquarters Abuja on the directive of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court that all cases involving the double nomination of candidates be transferred to the Headquarters.

It would be recalled that Justice D. V. Agishi of the Federal High Court Jos had ordered the Labour Party LP, Dr Patrick Dakum and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to appear before the Court in Ninety Six (96) hours to show cause why they cannot be restrained from Substituting Amb. Yohanna Margif as the Valid elected candidate of the Party.

Amb. Yohanna Margif who is the Governorship Candidate of the LP in Plateau State ahead of the 2023 elections had approached the Court through his Counsel M. B. Abdullah Esq. In a Motion exparte dated the 15th August 2022 and filled on the same 15th August 2022, prays the court for the following orders:

While Presiding the case on Wednesday at Federal High Court Jos, Justice Agishi told both the Plaintiff Counsel and Defendants Counsels that there is a directive by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court that all cases involving the double nomination of candidates should be transferred to the Headquarters and base on that she is transferring the file to Abuja immediately.

The judge however vacates the 96 hours earlier given to all defendants since she is no longer handling the matter.

Chief Kutu Senior Advocate of Nigeria who is the Counsel to the Second Defendant Dr Patrick Dakum while speaking with Journalists after the case disagree with the issue of double Nomination, saying he is ready to appear in Abuja whenever he is served.

Counsel to the Plaintiff Amb. Yohanna Margif sai d M. B. Abdullah Esq told Journalists that his client has never sworn an affidavit for his withdrawal as the Candidate of the party

“We had approached the court for An order for an interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant whether by itself, its agents, privies or assigns or any other person acting through it, or howsoever from taking any action or process or further action or process for changing or substituting the plaintiff as the validly nominated candidate of the 1st defendant for the seat of Governor of Plateau State based on the purported letter of withdrawal, notice affidavit or any other document whatsoever not written or signed by the plaintiff or personally delivered by the plaintiff to the 1st defendant pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiff’s motion on Notice for an interlocutory injunction”.

Also at the court, Counsel to the Labour Party C.K. Fwana kicked against the transfer of the Case to Abuja told the court that he was not satisfied with the development.

Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the Plateau state chapter of the Labour Party had on June 9, 2022, conducted its primary election which saw the emergence of Yohana Margie as the Governorship Candidate of the Party and a Certificate of Return was Presented to him by the National Chairman of the Party Julius Abure.

But in a dramatic twist of event, the Party conducted another Primary election on August 5,  in Jos amidst controversy and reported that Yohana Margie had resigned which produced Dr Patrick Dakum as the new Candidate of the Party in Plateau.

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