The Presidency has criticized those who are complaining about the Appeal Court’s ruling that removed Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State from office.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, argued that the blame for Mutfwang’s removal should be placed on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), not the president or the judiciary.
According to Onanuga, the PDP used an unlawful caretaker committee to conduct primaries in Plateau State, despite a court order.
The Appeal Court overturned the judgement of the governorship election tribunal, which had upheld Mutfwang’s election as governor.
The court declared Dr Nentawe Yilwatda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the governorship election and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him a new certificate of return.
Onanuga also mentioned the case of Zamfara State in 2019, where the APC lost due to illegal primaries.
Posting on X with the title: “The avoidable fate of Caleb Mutfwang,” Onanuga wrote: “To those crying and complaining about the judgment of the Appeal Court in nullifying the Election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, they seem to have forgotten history so quickly.
“In 2019, all Zamfara elected officials and members of the APC, from governor to state and National Assembly lawmakers lost their posts because the APC failed to carry out legally valid primaries.
“The PDP, failing to learn from history, repeated the same illegality, using an illegal caretaker committee to conduct primaries, despite a court order.
“Blame the PDP for the electoral setback, not the APC, the judiciary, INEC and President Tinubu.
“Non-compliance with the electoral law and the constitution is also at the root of the nullification of the election of Kano governor, Abba Yusuf. Those blaming the judiciary and being emotional about the ruling should face reality. Yusuf was sacked based on the law. I believe we all want our country to be guided by the rule of law.”
