In a tumultuous turn of events, the Court of Appeal has rendered three opposition governors unseated within the span of just four days, sparking a wave of criticism and uproar across Nigeria. The ousting of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State by the Court of Appeal has ignited fervent reactions, with many attributing the actions to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and raising concerns about the potential establishment of a one-party system in Nigeria.
Governor Mutfwang’s removal marked the third instance targeting opposition figures within a remarkably short timeframe, intensifying opposition sentiments against the decisions. Ambassador Iliya Damagum, the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), voiced grave concerns last week. Damagum, in a press conference at the party’s headquarters, accused the APC of orchestrating an agenda to subvert the people’s democratic will, undermine the Rule of Law, and steer the nation toward governance dictated by the whims of a select few.
The election earlier saw Mutfwang of the PDP securing 525,299 votes, while his APC opponent, Nentawe Goshwe, garnered 481,370 votes in the governorship race. Goshwe contested the results, alleging that Mutfwang’s nomination by the PDP did not adhere to Electoral Act provisions as he was purportedly not validly nominated and sponsored by the party.
Despite the tribunal dismissing Goshwe’s petition for lacking merit, Goshwe proceeded to the appellate court. The Appeal Court, presided over by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, delivered a judgment on Sunday that led to Mutfwang’s removal on grounds of purported invalid sponsorship by the PDP.
Subsequently, the Appeal Court further removed Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State from the PDP on Thursday, citing the inconclusiveness of the March governorship election. The next day, the court nullified the election of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
These successive court rulings, which resulted in the removal of opposition governors, have prompted widespread discussion and raised suspicions among Nigerians, many pointing fingers at the APC as the driving force behind these decisions. The reactions on social media platforms, especially Twitter, reflect a chorus of concern and condemnation about the alleged influence of the ruling party in the judiciary and its potential implications for Nigeria’s political landscape.
