The incumbent lawmaker representing Patani/Bomadi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Nicholas Mutu, has again floored Prince Collins Eselemo of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), at the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, Tuesday, on petitions bothering on the 2023 National Assembly Elections filed by the latter.
Eselemo had earlier filed a petition to the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, challenging the declaration of Mutu as winner of the 2023 general elections in the constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Eselemo’s petition, however, was thrown out by the tribunal for failure to comply with the Electoral Act of 2022.
Not satisfied with the judgement of the tribunal, Eselemo filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, in appeal No. CA/SA/HR/DL/11/2023.
However, in the judgement delivered Tuesday by the three Appeal Court Justices as read by Justice Muhammad Lawal Shuibu, unanimously dismissed the appeal on the grounds that the appellants failed to comply with paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 of the Election Judicial Proceedings Practice Direction, 2023.
The said paragraphs give the secretary of the Election Petition Tribunal the exclusive power to compile and transmit the records of appeal. In contravention of the rules, the appellant bypassed the law and did the compilation and transmission of the records by himself.
Mutu, in his reaction to the court judgement, said his victory was a victory for democracy and for the good people of Patani/Bomadi Federal Constituency.
“Both the Tribunal and the Appeal Court judgements are victory for democracy and the good people of Patani/Bomadi Federal Constituency. However, I will continue to do my best and give better representation to my constituents and the constituency”, Mutu said.
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