Fate Of 32 Lawmakers Unknown As Plateau Assembly Remains Under Lock

The ongoing renovation of the Plateau State House of Assembly complex is delaying the inauguration of 16 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers who received their Certificates of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last year.

The Appeal Court had validated their election.

Our correspondent learnt that there were moves to extend the recess the Assembly embarked on before Christmas due to the renovation of the Assembly complex, which might not be completed soon.

It was also learnt that while the sacked 16 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers are planning to go to court for the judicial interpretations of the Supreme Court judgment, the victors are thinking of approaching the High Court, should Speaker Gabriel Dewan fail to inaugurate them.

When our correspondent visited the Assembly complex yesterday, the Assembly was under lock and key while renovation continued.

The member representing Barkin Ladi State Constituency, Philip Gwom, told The Nation on phone that he was not in a position to give a specific resumption date of the Assembly.

The APC lawmaker said the Assembly was supposed to resume on January 23.

“But now, a new dimension has taken place. So, the resumption is indefinite now, based on the (Speaker’s) pronouncement. So, I cannot say exactly – whether it will be today, tomorrow, or on January 23,” he said.

Commenting on the apex court’s judgment, Gwom said: “We are not at loggerheads. The Supreme Court, which is the policy court of this country, has made a pronouncement that everything that was done by the Appeal Court was illegal and that it stands null and void. So, is there any court is above the Supreme Court in Nigeria?

“I am not the one to determine their (PDP lawmakers’) fate. I’m from a different family. So, how can I know the fate of another family? When the time comes, we are going to resume in the House because we are law-abiding citizens as we are bound by the law of the country. So, that is the position.”

Also, the lawmaker representing Mangu State Constituency, Bala Fwangje, disagreed with the APC lawmaker’s position.

He said: “The House is not under lock and key. Presently, we are on recess. We declared the recess before the Supreme Court’s judgment. The recess is ending by the end of this month.

“Before we went on recess, we had already moved the Assembly to the old Government House. Now, a renovation is ongoing on there. On the possibility of reversal of the sacked lawmakers, this thing is all about the law.

“As far as I know, the law will take its course. So, for me, based on what happened at the Supreme Court, we are going to study that law, the judgment, and see what it entails. Then, we, as the PDP members who are duly elected by the people, the choice of the people, will study it carefully and see how we can go about it.”

Commenting on what the Assembly could do about the dispute over the lawmakers, Fwangje said: “I have said we are on recess and we are resuming on January 23. The Speaker has made a pronouncement based on this judgment, saying he can only recognise eight members. So, we don’t know what he means. That is what I can say for now.”

Speaker Dewan, who was elected on the platform of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), had said the 16 contentious lawmakers on each side of both parties, remained unknown to the Assembly until otherwise clarified.

According to him, the Assembly currently has only eight members.

Also, the State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. John Akans, said the Supreme Court judgment had voided the judgment of the Court of Appeal over state and federal lawmakers sacked by the appellate court.

He said the state and national secretariats of the party had petitioned the National Judiciary Council (NJC) over the matter.

Also, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Slyvanus Namang, said those clamouring for the reversal of the Appeal Court judgment were ignorant of the law.

He insisted that the Speaker has no choice than to open the Assembly for the 16 members to begin normal legislative business.