National and State Assembly Tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau State capital, on Thursday, sacked three Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers.
The affected lawmakers include Remvyat Nanbol, Agbalak Adukuchill and Happiness Akawu, representing Langtang Central, Rukuba/Iregwe and Pengana constituencies in the state House of Assembly.
The judgment was delivered on the eve of the ruling on the March 18 governorship election in the state.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the election, Dr. Nentawe Yiltwatda, is challenging the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP.
Independent National Electoral Commission declared Mutfwang winner of the election after polling 525,299 votes, beating Yiltwatda, who polled 481,370 votes. But the APC candidate headed to court.
Delivering Thursday’s ruling, the tribunal declared Daniel Ninbol Listic of the Labour party (LP), Bako Ankala and Yakubu Sanda of the APC who all became second in the election as winners.
The panel led by Justice Muhammad Tukur ruled that the sacked lawmakers were not legally sponsored by the PDP in view of the fact that their refusal to obey court order to conduct ward congresses that would enable it have valid structure.
He added that the PDP lacked structure and therefore could not sponsor candidates for an election.
The tribunal added that the petitioners had the locus standi to challenge the participation or inclusion of PDP in the election.
Chairman of the tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw Certificates of Return from the sacked lawmakers and issue new ones to the winners of the election.
The tribunal had sacked four PDP National Assembly members, including a senator, over party structure.
