Following the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court's order that all cases involving the double nominating of candidates be transferred to the Headquarters, the Federal High Court in Jos on Wednesday transferred the Plateau State Labour Party Governorship primary case to the Federal High Court in Abuja.
It should be recalled that Justice D. V. Agishi of the Federal High Court Jos had ordered the Labour Party, Dr. Patrick Dakum, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to appear before the court in ninety-six (96) hours to demonstrate why they cannot be prevented from substituting Amb. Yohanna Margif as the Party's legitimately elected candidate.
Margif, the LP's candidate for governor in Plateau State, contacted the court through his attorney, M. B. Abdullah, Esq. In a Motion Exparte dated August 15, 2022, and filed on that same date, the party requests the following instructions from the court:
Justice Agishi informed the attorneys for the plaintiff and the defendants as she presided over the case on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Jos that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court had ordered that all cases involving the double nomination of candidates be sent to the headquarters; as a result, she is immediately sending the file to Abuja.
However, because she is no longer handling the case, the judge cancels the 96 hours that she had earlier granted to all defendants.
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 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.