The National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal for Plateau State has annulled the election of a member of the state House of Assembly representing Langtang South, Mr. Vincent Bulus.
Mr. Bulus was convicted in 2013 after he impersonated a former Plateau State Governor, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun and duped a senator(name withheld) of N5m.
It came as a rude shock when he emerged as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Langtang South and went ahead to win the election despite his record in recent past.
All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the April 11 House of Assembly Election. Mr. Jackson Danladi, had filed a petition before the Tribunal challenging the victory of Bulus in the election, alleging that the lawmaker was an ex-convict.
Delivering judgment, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice O O Akeredolu, said the respondent was not qualified to contest the election having been convicted of an offence in line with Section 107(1)(d) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Justice Akeredolu said: “The respondent, having been convicted of an offence involving fraud and dishonesty by a court of law, was not qualified to contest the election into the Plateau State House of Assembly to represent Langtang South constituency.
“That the election and return of the first respondent as member of Plateau State House of Assembly to represent Langtang South is a nullify.”
However, the tribunal, while observing that the petitioner obtained the second highest number of votes, held that a fresh election should be conducted into the constituency.
Justice Akeredolu also banned Vincent Bulus from contesting for any election for life.
