Yusuf Gagdi, a federal lawmaker for the All Progressives Congress (APC) who represents the Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Constituency in Plateau State, has stated that the PDP did not hold congresses in each of the state’s 17 local governments prior to nominating candidates for the 2023 elections. Citing the lack of a PDP structure in the state, Gagdi made this statement in reaction to the Appeal Court’s ruling, which resulted in the expulsion of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
In an interview on Arise Television, Gagdi explained the court’s order, stating that, according to the court’s findings, elections were allegedly conducted in fewer than three or six local governments in Plateau State. Given that the state has 17 local governments, he asserted that a PDP member, dissatisfied with the congress proceedings, took the party to court. This party member contended that a state congress couldn’t be conducted with delegates from only six local governments.
Gagdi stressed on the court’s subsequent order, indicating that it directed the PDP to suspend further actions until the legitimacy of the matter was thoroughly considered. The court ultimately ruled that the PDP must allow other local governments, where no congresses had occurred, to conduct congresses. This, according to Gagdi, was to ensure the creation of a comprehensive list of delegates for the state congress.
According to him; “what the order of the court was saying at that moment was that election was conducted in not up to three or six local governments in Plateau State. Plateau State has 17 local governments. A member of the PDP who participated in that congress took PDP to court and said that you cannot conduct state congress with delegates that was produced by only six local governments. The court granted an order that PDP should wait till the legitimacy of the matter is considered. The court later ruled that you must have to allow the other local governments there was no congresses to conduct congress so that the comprehensive list of delegates will be produced for state congress.”
