Plateau State Governor, Barr Caleb Mutfwang, has said his commitment to providing quality governance remains firm, adding that he will not be distracted by pending petitions against his election as governor.
He stated this while commending the verdict of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which ruled in his favor after hearing a petition filed by the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Alfred Clark Dabwang, in the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
The judgement read by Hon. Justice A. Y. Joh, dismissed the petition filed by the NNPP candidate, who alleged the exclusion of his party’s logo from the ballot.
The tribunal affirmed Mutfwang as the duly elected governor of Plateau State.
Mutfwang while reacting to the judgment, in a statement issued by the director of press and public affairs, Gyang Bere, described it as a validation of the people’s will in Plateau State and expressed his confidence in the upcoming judgements.
“We give thanks to God Almighty, the ultimate Judge. We were confident in the outcome of this election, which was clearly in our favor. We commend the Judiciary for upholding the voters’ choice.”
Regarding the judgement’s assertion that the petition was frivolous and unnecessary, the governor said while democracy allowed everyone to voice their concerns, justice ultimately prevailed.
Mutfwang said the ruling has brought joy to the PDP, the entire population of Plateau State, and to democracy as a whole.
He noted that the eight judgements rendered by tribunal favored the PDP, adding that they reinforced the party’s victory in the last election.
The governor said despite the distractions caused by these cases, his commitment to providing effective governance for the people of Plateau State remains firm just as he praised his team for their dedication.
“We are pleased to be approaching the conclusion of these cases, and while one more governorship petition remains, we remain hopeful and confident it will also be resolved in our favor. We look forward to closing this chapter and focusing on the task of governance,” he said.
Earlier, the tribunal had adopted the written submissions of both the respondents and petitioners in the case involving APC’s Nentawe Yilwatda, and PDP’s Mutfwang.