Plateau: 16 APC Lawmakers Stuck as Speaker Refuses Swearing-In Ceremony, Gives Reason
- There's a political drama in the legislative arm of Plateau state, and it might lead to acrimony in the coming weeks
- The All Progressive Congress has lashed out at the Speaker of the state house of assembly, Gabriel Dewan, for refusing to swear in 16 members into the chamber
- Meanwhile, Dewan revealed to Legit.ng that the situation on the ground was straightforward and had no complications, as claimed by the APC
Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro
Jos, Plateau - The Plateau State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has announced plans to take legal action against the Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Dewan.
This action comes in response to Dewan's ongoing refusal to swear in the 16 APC members whom the Court of Appeal validated as the rightful elected members of the State Assembly, The Nigerian Tribune reported.
Source: Facebook
Following the Supreme Court's affirmation of Governor Caleb Muftwang's position, which resulted in the removal of 16 members from the People Democratic Party (PDP), the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the PDP members' application for a review of the judgement. In addition to dismissing the application, the Court imposed a substantial fine of N8 million on each of the 16 APC members involved in the legal proceedings.
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The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress in the state, Hon. Rufus Bature, voiced his frustration at the ongoing delay, stating that the blatant disregard for the court ruling amounted to contempt and showed disrespect for the judiciary and other authorities.
Hon. Bature urged the House Speaker to swear in the 16 APC lawmakers promptly.
He warned that if the delay persists, the party might be compelled to file another lawsuit to ensure compliance with the court's decision.
Bature said:
“We cannot force the speaker to swear them in; we are giving him some time to see what he will do. I can assure you that we will do the needful. There are legal means that we need to follow if it becomes imperative or extremely necessary."
Why I refused to swear in 16 APC lawmakers, Speaker reveals
However, the Speaker held a different notion about the situation, noting that he had not been given the legal notes from the appellate court that compelled him to administer the swearing-in of the 16 APC lawmakers.
At about 8:24 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, the Speaker confirmed to Legit.ng that he had not received any document confirming the court order as claimed by the APC leadership.
He said:
"Where is the order from appeal court?
"Well, I heard and am always aware that PDP members were removed, and INEC gave APC certificate, but I have no document in that regard to guide me on the swearing-in."
Meanwhile, the APC has issued a warning, stating that if the Speaker continues to refuse, the party will be forced to take legal action to ensure compliance.
They also mentioned the possibility of charging the Speaker with contempt of court.
Reactions as gunmen assassinate APC spokesman in Plateau
In another report, armed assailants assaulted a pub located in the Pankshin local government area of Plateau state, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
Among the victims was Sylvanus Namang, the state spokesperson for the APC, who was targeted during the incident that took place on Saturday, February 17.
Nigerians took to social media platforms to express their astonishment and condemnation of this assassination.
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Source: Legit.ng
