Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has defended the Appeal Court’s decision to remove Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State.
Onanuga asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should take responsibility for the governor’s dismissal rather than attributing it to the president or the judiciary.
According to Onanuga, the PDP utilized an unlawful caretaker committee to conduct primaries in Plateau State, a move that defied a court order.
The Appeal Court had overturned the governorship election tribunal’s ruling, which had previously upheld Mutfwang’s election as the state’s governor.
The court, in its decision, declared Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the governorship election. Moreover, the court instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a new certificate of return to Yilwatda.
Onanuga drew parallels with the APC’s loss in Zamfara State in 2019 due to similarly contested illegal primaries.
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Posting on X with the title “The avoidable fate of Caleb Mutfwang,” Onanuga wrote: “To those crying and complaining about the judgment of the Appeal Court in nullifying the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, they seem to have forgotten history so quickly.
“In 2019, all Zamfara elected officials and members of the APC, from governor to state and National Assembly lawmakers, lost their posts because the APC failed to carry out legally valid primaries.
“The PDP, failing to learn from history, repeated the same illegality, using an illegal caretaker committee to conduct primaries, despite a court order.
“Blame the PDP for the electoral setback, not the APC, the judiciary, INEC and Tinubu.
“Non-compliance with the electoral law and the constitution is also at the root of the nullification of the election of Kano governor, Abba Yusuf. Those blaming the judiciary and being emotional about the ruling should face reality. Yusuf was sacked based on the law. I believe we all want our country to be guided by the rule of law.”