Sixteen members of the Plateau State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but sacked by the Court of Appeal, had threatened to resume the Assembly today, saying they were the authentic members of the state Assembly, voted into office by the people of the state.
The lawmakers led by the member representing Bokkos State Constituency, Ishaku Maren, said the judgment of the Supreme Court, which reinstated Governor Caleb Mutfwang, had explained that they were unjustly removed from office hence, the remedy for the wrong done to them was for them to be allowed to return to duty.
Addressing journalists in Jos, yesterday, Maren said, “We are the 16 PDP members, of the Plateau State House of Assembly. We are all here to address the press regarding our resumption to duty tomorrow because our recess will be ending today, and by tomorrow, we are resuming work in earnest.
“We are informing the general public that the PDP family members in the State Assembly are in high spirits, willing and ready to go back and continue with your constitutional duty willingly given to us by the electorates.
“You are aware that while we were on recess, there were two judgments that were passed regarding the status of State House of Assembly and Plateau State as a whole.
“Court of Appeal members are deceiving themselves that they are coming to the House tomorrow to resume work but I’m confident to tell you that we are a product of democracy, not of Court of Appeal.
“We are validly elected by the majority of votes that were cast in our respective constituencies and our constituents are willing and ready to accompany us tomorrow because they voted for us they are not ready to compromise that and that is why they are seeing us to the State Assembly tomorrow.
“The Court of Appeal said one cannot put something on nothing, that PDP on the Plateau had no structure and it was on that basis that we were sacked.
“But when we were in recess, a superior court gave its verdict regarding the same issue and the judgment of the Supreme Court said that the case that was brought before the Court of Appeal in its entirety was fraudulent and the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the entire matter and by that. We refer the APC Court of Appeal members that one cannot build something on nothing.
“It shows that the verdict of the Court of Appeal is a nullity and we reject that judgment in its entirety. I want to call on the leadership of this country, our own president, as well as the Head of the Judicial system in this nation, to save our democracy by calling the President of the Court of Appeal to order.
“Because all that happened within the Court of Appeal was based on her authority and judgment and even the panel that was dedicated to handle Plateau State matters, it was ill-motivated.
“It was even in the words of the Supreme Court that it was a miscarriage of justice. The law says that when there is an injury, there must be a remedy. The House of Assembly is supposed to be occupied by validly elected members from the 24 State constituencies.
“So without mincing a word, we are here to work. We are aware of the efforts of the APC members trying to meet His Excellency, the Governor of Plateau State that some of them are even pleading that they are willing and ready to defect.”
