The All Progressives Congress (APC) has the majority in the Plateau State House of Assembly following a ruling of the appeal court declaring Nimchak Nansak of the APC as the winner of the Langtang north-north state constituency poll.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Nannim Langyi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as winner of the vote the March 18 election.
But in a unanimous judgment on Saturday in Abuja, the three-member panel of justices set aside the tribunal’s verdict and ruled that Langyi was not qualified to have contested the election.
The court further held that the PDP structure in Plateau collapsed since 2020, adding that the party cannot claim to have a structure to sponsor any candidate to contest an election.
Justice Abang Okon, read the judgment held that all votes scored by the PDP candidate were wasted and therefore a nullity.
“Nimchak Abel Nansak of the APC, who scored the majority of the lawful votes is hereby declared winner and is returned as the duly elected member of the state house of assembly to represent the good people of Langtang north-north constituency of Plateau state,” the judge said.
The judgment means that the PDP has lost all 16 seats in the house of assembly with APC now occupying 22 seats.
The appeal court had also on November 19, sacked the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on the grounds that he was not validly sponsored by the PDP for the election.
The court ordered INEC to issue a fresh certificate of return to Nentawe Goshwe, candidate of the APC in the election.
