BREAKING: Appeal Court nullifies petition, fines 16 sacked Plateau PDP Lawmakers ₦8M each

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed a new petition filed by 16 Plateau Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who were previously dismissed by the court in November of last year.

The fired members, who had made failed efforts to reclaim their seats in the state House of Assembly after the Supreme Court validated Governor Caleb Muftwang’s election, petitioned the appeal court for a reconsideration of its decision to dismiss them.

However, in delivering judgment in the fresh suit yesterday, the appellate court Justices led by Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole JCA dismissed the suit as frivolous and lacking in merit and ordered that each of the 16 applicants pay N8 million to the respondents, bringing the total fine to N128 million.

It should be noted that the Court of Appeal dismissed the lawmakers on the grounds that their party lacked structure and could not sponsor candidates in an election, and declared all candidates who finished second in the elections.

After hearing the arguments, Justice J.O.K. Oyewole denied the motions for lack of merit, dismissing the case as a waste of judicial time.

According to the Platinum Times, the Speaker of the state legislature, Gabriel Daweng, refused to swear in the 16 All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party members as lawmakers on January 23, claiming that he had received court process and asking them to wait until the court reached a ruling.