The Supreme Court of Nigeria has confirmed Dr. Patrick Dakum as the authentic governorship candidate of the Labour Party for Plateau State.
In its Wednesday ruling, the apex court dismissed an appeal brought forward by one of the Labour Party (LP’s) governorship aspirants in the State, Ambassador Yohanna Margif, challenging the authentication of Dr. Patrick Dakum in the March 18th election.
The case was dismissed by Justice John Inyang Okoro after the complainant withdrew the case upon realizing that it has become statute barred.
Counsel to the appellant, Mr Opeyemi George Ojo, had pleaded in his arguments with the Apex Court to invoke Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to take over the matter and resolve all disputed issues in the interest of justice to his client.
His persuasion was however rejected by the 5-man panel of Justices of the Court on the ground that conditions precedents for the Court to invoke section 22 of the Supreme Court Act were not met.
Confronted with reality on the futility of his request, the appellant withdrew his appeal which was subsequently dismissed by Justice Okoro.
The appellant had 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.
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.