You are a Candidate for Plateau South, not Plateau North, UPP Tells Petitioner

The UPP has confirmed forwarding the name of Inuwa Sanusi as its candidate for Plateau South Senatorial Zone in the election held on February 23 2019 in which Senator I.D. Gyang emerged victorious in Plateau North.

This disclosure came up at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos when the UPP through its National Secretary, Alh Sadeeq Masalla testified that it forwarded the name of Inuwa Sanusi as it’s candidate in the 23th Feb. 2019 Senatorial election for Plateau South.

In both his witness statement and testimony, Masalla told the Tribunal that both he and the National Chairman of the party signed and endorsed the appropriate INEC Form CF002 and forwarded same to INEC.

He confirmed to the Tribunal that the forms were filled by all their candidates across the nation while the Party’s National Chairman and National Secretary only endorse same after which it is forwarded to INEC including that of Inuwa Sanusi.

Sanusi under cross examination made frantic effort to disown the form in issue.

A Certified True Copy of the form from INEC was however tendered in evidence before the Tribunal.

It would be recalled that Sanusi Inuwa had petitioned the Election Petition Tribunal alleging that the Logo of his party, the UPP was wrongly excluded by INEC in the Senatorial election of Plateau North in the election of February 23, 2019. He was, therefore, asking the Tribunal to cancel the victory of Senator I.D. Gyang and conduct a fresh election.

Senator I.D Gyang and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who are respondents in the suit submitted that Inuwa Sanusi could not have contested the election in Plateau North Senatorial District as his party, the UPP fielded him as their candidate for Plateau South Senatorial District as evidenced by Form CF200 which it rightly submitted to INEC.

INEC’s representative testifying before the Tribunal confirmed that Form CF200 which was a Certified True Copy from INEC.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice T. N Nzeogwu however adjourned the case for further hearing.