The 16 PDP Lawmakers who were sacked by the Court of Appeal in November 2023 have said that following the judgment of the Supreme Court which validated the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang as the duly elected Governor of Plateau State, it has also cured the issue of structure which the Court of Appeal relied on in invalidating their mandates.
Speaking on behalf of the 16 PDP Lawmakers in Jos on Monday 22nd January 2024, Hon Ishaku Maren said that it was necessary to address the general public about happenings at the House of Assembly. “While we were on recess, there were two judgements that were passed regarding the status of the State House of Assembly and Plateau State as a whole. The first one was that which was passed by the Court of Appeal and let me quote, ‘They said that one can not put something on nothing, that PDP on the Plateau has no structure and it was on this basis and premise they sacked all the 16 PDP Members, and low and behold as we were on recess the superior court gave its own verdict regarding the same issue. In the judgment of the Supreme Court, they said the case that was brought before the Court of Appeal, in its entirety was fraudulent, because the Court of Appeal lacks even jurisdiction to entertain the entire matter, and by that it shows that we are still referring to their own submission that one can not build something on nothing, so it was even a wrong destination that such a case should be taken to and by implication it shows that the verdict of the Court of Appeal is an anulity. And we are disregarding that judgment in its entirety”, Hon Maren said.
He expressed surprise that despite these, the “so called Court of Appeal Members” were planning to resume work at the State Assembly Complex on same Tuesday 23rd January 2024. He expressed confidence that as products of democracy elected by majority of valid votes at the polls, their constituents were going to accompany them to the complex where they are resuming duty. He expressed worry over how their lordship the Justices of the Court of Appeal disregarded the several decisions of the Supreme Court which settled all such matters and still sacked them.
Hon Maren faulted the motive behind the establishment of a single panel at the Court of Appeal which entertained over 20 appeals from the same state, stressing that Plateau was the only state where that was done. He noted that despite complains, the panel remained and ended up sacking them all.
He called on President Tinubu and the heads of the Judiciary in Nigeria to save Plateau’s democracy by calling on the President of the Court of Appeal Justice Monica Dongban-Messem, because according to him “…all that happened within the Court of Appeal was within her authority and judgement. And even the dedicated panel that was dedicated to entertain or handle Plateau State matters, it was ilmotivated, without any apology it was ilmotivated, because it has never happened and it does not happen in any state aside from Plateau State” he said.
“Why can just one panel be dedicated to entertain about twenty – something cases coming from one State? What is the rationale behind that? And even when we alleged, when some of us appeared on the national television we said that even our colleagues from the APC extraction are bragging, they are saying that we will all be sacked in one day, and it came to pass. So what are we talking about? Even in the words of the Supreme Court that it was a miscarriage of Justice, they were also disturbed. But since the judiciary says that where there is injury there must be remedy. On that premise we stand” he continued.
“And it is just like the game of football, before, at the end of 90 mins, whatsoever the referee says stands, but you agree with me that once there are complains, that match can be reviewed and the 3 points might be deducted and be given to the opponents. So we are waiting for the deduction of that point and being given to the PDP family, so that this matter will be settled once and for all” he added.
Hon Maren raised concerns that Plateau citizens were beginning to wonder what was happening and what to address to those Court of Appeal Members. “But I don’t think we are having Court of Appeal House of Assembly Members, we are having House of Assembly that is supposed to be occupied by validly elected members from the 24 State Constituencies” he posited.
They also alleged that there were efforts and plans by the 16 APC Members to meet Governor Caleb Mutfwang. They went on to alleged that the APC House Members are even pleading that they were ready and willing to decamp to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They appealed to Governor Mutfwang to resist any attempt to do the contrary, stressing that they will resist any pressure from any quarters.
They said that they information available to them has it that APC Members were mobilizing people to accompany them into the complex on Tuesday. They urged them to tow the line of integrity, desist and withdraw.
When questioned by journalists about the legality of their actions, the members said that the Judgment of the Supreme Court, which is the highest Court in Nigeria invalidates the judgement of Court of Appeal stressing that “…as at the time the Court of Appeal delivered its judgement we were serving House of State Assembly, we were only on recess and the Superior Court now passed its own judgement which is to our favour, it virtually nullified the judgement of the Court of Appeal. It’s just like a thief tried to burgle into my room and in the process he was caught and he run. Should i leave the door open for him to enter? I will go back and occupy my room and that is what we are going to do tomorrow by the grace of God”, Hon Maren Concluded.
Nigeria Star News 