Andrew Ajijah
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has affirmed the elections of Governor Simon Lalong as the authentic winner of the March 9, 2013 elections.
The judgement was delivered by Justice Halima Salami, on Wednesday.
In it, the Tribunal quashed almost all prayers sought by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The petitions of the PDP and its candidate, Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd), were dismissed.
In an interview, deputy governor of Plateau State, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, who was present at the Tribunal, said their victory was divine.
The deputy governor stressed that “the tribunal has spoken. God has spoken.”
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Plateau State, Hon Latep Dabang, who spoke at the premises of the Tribunal, said the victory was for the entire Plateau citizens.
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Hon Dabang noted that the APC administration in the state would run an all-inclusive government.
Earlier, Counsel to Governor Simon Lalong, Pius Akuboh SAN said the judgement justified the decision of the electoral commission which earlier declared Governor Lalong victorious at the polls.
Speaking on alleged non-qualification of the APC candidate (Simon Lalong) as earlier claimed by the PDP Counsel, Barr. Akuboh said the Tribunal affirmed that the governor was qualified to contest the governorship election.
“The Tribunal was just to all, because all issues brought before it were dealt with accordingly.”
Meanwhile, one of the PDP counsels, Edward Pwajok (SAN) told journalists that his clients would appeal the judgement.
Barr. Pwajok said the PDP team were are not satisfied with the judgement of the Tribunal.
The 6-hour judgement was delivered under tight securities as people believed to be political party thugs, who besieged the Tribunal area, were not allowed asses into the premises.
Most PDP members left the Tribunal in droves looking downcast.