The National Civil Society Consultative Forum on Election Integrity has called for a judicial review of verdict on the Plateau State governorship tussle, saying the judgement posed danger to democracy.
It urged political actors to refrain from actions that may undermine the integrity of the judiciary or compromise the independence of judges.
At a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the CSOs raised concerns over what they called a threat to multi-party system by the judgement of the appellate court on the Plateau State governorship election.
Recall that the Appeal Court had few weeks ago set aside the judgement of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and instead declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the March 18 governorship election, saying the PDP had no candidate as at the time of the elections.
But reacting, the CSOs said: “The judgment of the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja that nullified the election of Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang if left unattended to, will pose danger to our hard-earned democracy, this type of outcome will also breed hatred and voter apathy in subsequent elections. The Appeal Court panel based its decision on the premise that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State had no valid structure and had violated a state high court order that directed the party to conduct fresh congresses in the state.
“However, this claim is contradicted by the fact that the political party had complied with the court order and held a legitimate State Congress on the 25th of September 2021, where delegates from all the 17 local government areas of the state participated and elected their representatives.