Sacked 16 Plateau lawmakers move to resume legislative duties

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

The group of ousted legislators, made their decision known when they briefed newsmen on Monday, in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the members, who were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had their election nullified by the court for a lack of party structure.

NAN also reports that the federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the PDP in the state, were also sacked by the Court of Appeal, citing the same reason; and re-run elections to fill their seats had been set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for Feb. 3.

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang’s election was also quashed by the same court for the same reason.

Mutfwang’s sack however, was reversed by the Supreme Court in a Jan. 12 judgment, which held that the lower court erred in its judgment.

Deducing from the apex court’s judgment, the lawmakers claimed that they were only on recess and would resume duties on Tuesday.

The spokesperson of the group, Mr Ishaku Maren, said that while they were on recess, two judgments were delivered regarding the status of the Plateau State House of Assembly.

Maren, who was the majority leader of the assembly before the Appeal Court judgment, stated that they were a product of democracy and were validly elected by the majority of votes that were 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,” Maren stated. (NAN)