Reports said the only eight Legislators recognised by the Appeal Court drove in convoy with the Speaker to the Assembly complex located at the old Government House in Jos, venue of their sitting, for resumption of legislative business after weeks of Yuletide recess.
Later, the 16 sacked PDP lawmakers also drove in convoy but they were stopped at the gate by security operatives and prevented from going in to join their supposed colleagues for the business of the day on the order of the Speaker.
Speaking to journalists thereafter, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Dewan said the 16 sacked lawmakers can’t resume sitting because the law must be obeyed.
The 16 former members of the House were sacked by the Court of Appeal over lack of structure by their political party at the time of the 2023 elections. The appellate court ruled they were not properly nominated for the March 18, 2023 State Assembly elections, hence their elections were voided.
But on the same premise, the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, also elected on the platform of the PDP, was initially sacked by the Appeal Court but later got a reprieve at the Supreme Court, which ruled that nomination of candidates for elections is an exclusive preserve of a political party which should not be dabbled into by the courts or any external person.
Consequently, the aggrieved 16 PDP members have insisted on retrieving their legislative seats in the House of Assembly based on the Supreme Court judgement on the Plateau State governorship dispute.
Court ordered me to recognise only 8 lawmakers – Plateau Assembly Speaker
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, says he is in possession of a court injunction mandating him to recognise only eight lawmakers.
Dewan stated that the 16 sacked Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers, and the other 16 with certificates of return, were all laying claim to the seats.
The Speaker made the disclosure during plenary on Tuesday in Jos, following the resumption of the House from recess.
The Court of Appeal had sacked 16 members elected on the platform of the PDP.
Recall that eight members gained access to the temporary premises of the Assembly, but the others were denied entry.
“At present, there are 32 members laying claim to the seats.
“Since the 32 members had their certificates of return, and are laying claim to their mandates, it would be unlawful to admit them into the chambers.
“For now, only eight members will be sitting. I have a court injunction restraining the House from inaugurating the 16 APC members.
“Yes, they have their certificates of return issued to them by INEC, but they can’t be inaugurated until the final determination or vacation of the injunction,’’ he said.
Recall that there was mild drama earlier on Tuesday, at Old Government House, Jos, the temporary venue of the Assembly.
Teargas was fired as police operatives were trying to stop supporters of the sacked members from gaining access to where the lawmakers were billed to sit.
The temporary Assembly complex has been taken over by security personnel.
