Sacked 16 Plateau lawmakers move to resume duties

The 16 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly sacked by the Court of Appeal in November last year have resolved to resume legislative duties on Tuesday.

The lawmakers disclosed this at a media briefing on Monday in Jos.

The lawmakers who were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were sacked by the court over lack of party structure.

The appellate court ordered re-run elections to fill their seats and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed February 3 for the exercise.

The three-member panel also nullified Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s victory in the March 18, 2023 election in the state.

Mutfwang’s sack, however, was reversed by the Supreme Court in a January 12 judgment.

The spokesman for the group, Mr. Ishaku Maren, said the lawmakers were only on recess and would resume duties on Tuesday.

READ ALSO: Plateau Assembly crisis in fresh twist as police takes away speaker, 10 lawmakers

Maren, who was the majority leader of the Assembly before the judgment, stressed that they were a product of democracy and validly elected by the majority of votes cast in their various constituencies.

“It was even in the words of the Supreme Court that that Appeal Court judgment was a miscarriage of justice.

“I want to also state that even in law, it says that if there is an injury, there will certainly be a remedy.

“Our constituents are willing and ready to accompany us to the assembly tomorrow because they voted for us, and they are not ready to compromise that,” he stated.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now