The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by one of the Labour Party (LP) governorship aspirants in Plateau State, Ambassador Yohanna Margif, challenging the authentication of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Dr Patrick Dakum in the March 18 election.
The case was dismissed by Justice John Inyang Okoro after the complainant withdrew the case upon realizing that it has become statute barred.
The appellant, in his brief, challenged the emergence of Dr Patrick Dakum as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Plateau State insisting that he won the governorship primary election of the party and never withdrew his nomination.
The Labour Party, however, in its defence insisted that Ambassador Margif in a letter voluntarily withdrew his candidacy and copied the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the same letter.
The party claimed that following the withdrawal by Ambassador Margif, a new primary election was conducted in which Dr Patrick Dakum emerged and his name submitted to INEC.
Margif ignited the first legal battle at a Federal High Court in Jos but lost as the court upheld the position of LP and declared Dr. Patrick Dakum as the legitimate governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Plateau State.
Justice Dorcas Agishi in her judgment on December 9, 2022 affirmed Dr. Dakum as the authentic candidate of the party, having followed the party’s guideline to emerge as the party’s flag bearer.
The Judge established that Ambassador Yohanna Margif had signed an affidavit to withdraw voluntarily as the governorship candidate of the party which necessitated the party to conduct fresh primary that produced Dr.Patrick Dakum.
Not satisfied with the High Court’s decision, Margif had approached the Court of Appeal but lost and subsequently moved to the Supreme Court for final decision.
The Supreme Court’s final judgment, therefore, lays to rest the long-drawn legal battle for the Labour Party’s gubernatorial slot in Plateau State.