The PDP lawmakers were sacked by the Court of Appeal because they were products of an unrecognized state executive council of the party.
Still basking in the euphoria of Governor Caleb Muftwang last Friday’s victory at the Supreme Court, the 16 lawmakers yesterday vowed to resume plenary today at the temporary chamber in the Old Government House, Jos, the state capital.
But the All Progressive Congress (APC), whose candidates benefitted from the Appeal Court ruling, cautioned the sacked PDP lawmakers against resulting to self-help.
It (APC) warned that taking the laws into the hands of the PDP lawmakers would amount to insurrection and an invitation to anarchy.
The party urged the security agencies to rise to their responsibility of enforcing law and order.
The sacked legislators drew their courage from the Supreme Court judgment, which overturned the judgment of the lower court and reinstated Mutfwang as the duly elected governor.
Speaking with reporters in Jos yesterday, the PDP lawmakers warned the APC members not to go near the House of Assembly because the apex court, by its pronouncement, had invalidated the judgment of the Court of Appeal that sacked them.
Their spokesman, Ishaku Maren, said the Supreme Court had revalidated their ejection, which was wrongly taken away from them by the lower court.
Maren, who was with the 15 others, said that as law-abiding citizens, they were ready to resume work to represent the people who duly elected them.
He said: “As you can see the 16 PDP members of the Plateau State House of Assembly are all here to address the press regarding our resumption to duty tomorrow (today) because our recess will be ending today (Monday), and by tomorrow (today), we are resuming work in earnest and we are confident to address the press by informing the general public that my members – that is PDP family members in the State Assembly – are in high spirits and are willing and ready to go back and continue with our constitutional duty willingly given to us by the electorates. So we are all ready for the resumption of work tomorrow (today).
“You might be aware that while were on recess, there were two Judgments that were passed regarding the status of the state House of Assembly and Plateau State as a whole.
“The first one was that given by the Court of Appeal, where they said that one cannot put something on nothing; that PDP in Plateau state has no structure and it was on that premise that they sacked all the 16 PDP members and behold as we were on recess a superior court gave its verdict regarding the same issue and in the judgment of the Supreme Court they said that the judgment that was brought before the Court of Appeal in its entirety was fraudulent and because of that the Court of Appeal lacked even the jurisdiction to entertain the entire matter.
“By that, it shows that we are also referring to the same judgment that one cannot build something on nothing.”
Urging the governor not to interfere, they vowed to resist all pressure, describing themselves as products of democracy.
Maren added: “We are validly elected by the majority of votes that were cast in our various respective constituencies and our constituents are willing and ready to accompany us citizens tomorrow because they voted for us and they are not ready to compromise that and that is why they are seeing us to the state assembly tomorrow.
It’s a clear insurrection, an invitation to anarchy, says APC
The local chapter of the APC in Plateau State described the threat by the 16 sacked PDP lawmakers to forcefully attend today’s plenary as a clear insurrection, an invitation to anarchy and an assault on democracy.
It reacted to the PDP lawmaker’s threat to invade the House to commence plenary through a spokesman SIyvanus Namang.
The statement reads: “The APC wishes to state in no uncertain terms that the plans and threats by the sacked members contemplating any resumption of sitting as members is not only an assault on our democracy but an insurrection against the state, being an unabashed contempt of court.
“It has come to the notice of the Plateau State chapter of the APC, a plan by the 16 members of the PDP sacked by the Court of Appeal last year to invade the House which resumes sitting tomorrow (today) after nearly two months recess as sitting members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
“According to information reaching us, the members sat at an undisclosed location and addressed the press on their invidious and diabolical plan.
“The sacked members would be accompanied by members of their various constituencies to cause confusion of an unimaginable proportion.
“The press conference which was laced with threats, warned the APC members of the House not to go near the House of Assembly because the Supreme Court had invalidated the judgment of the Court of Appeal which sacked them.
“What began last week as a veiled threat by a former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon Istifanus Caleb Mwansat during his infamous interview …is fast becoming a reality.
”The APC and all peace- loving citizens of Plateau State had expected that he ought not be walking the streets as a free citizen following his inflammatory outbursts.
“The APC accepted for the sake of democracy and peaceful coexistence, the judgment of the Supreme Court in good fate and appealed to our members not to embark on anything to the contrary which they obeyed.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Supreme Court judgment which awarded victory to the governor is personal to him and has no multiplier or spill-over effect on anyone already sacked. This is moreover that there was no case pertaining the National and State Assembly Elections before the Supreme Court. The orbiter dictum as made by Justice Okoro concerning the fate of the sacked lawmakers cannot be said to be having any force of law
“The Appeal Court judgment which sacked the 16 PDP State House of Assembly members and all its National Assembly members has a stamp of finality which cannot be upturned by any Court in the land in line with Section 246 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Just as we have accepted, as true democrats, the decision of the Supreme Court, the PDP has no option than to accept the fate that has befallen them and wait for the next election circle.
“We call on security agencies in the state to up the ante to handle any illegal acts as the Plateau State House of Assembly resumes sitting tomorrow 23rd January, 2023.
“The rule of law should be allowed to take its course and anything to the contrary should be visited with the most appropriate sanctions.”