APC chides Plateau Speaker for dragging feet to swear in 16 House members

APC chides Plateau Speaker for dragging feet to swear in 16 House members

Joel Oladele

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has scolded the Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly for dragging feet to obey law order over 16 House of Assembly members recently declared winners of 2023 Assembly election in the State.

National Periscope recalls that in November 2023, the APC legislators were declared winners by the Appeal Court having sacked those elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over lack of party structure.

While election of Caleb Mutfwang, governor of the state, was also nullified by the court for the same reason.

However, Mutfwang’s sack was reversed by the supreme court on January 12. The apex court had ruled that the appeal court erred in its judgment.

This has since created a tensed political atmosphere in the State.

Displeased by the development, the National Spokesperson of APC, Barr. Felix Morka on Tuesday at a press briefing decried the refusal of the Speaker to obey Court order describing it as undemocratic.

Morka noted that the National Working Committee (NWC) at its 141st meeting held on Monday has; “Denounced the failure or refusal of the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly to swear in 16 APC House Members adjudged by the Court of Appeal as the duly elected members of the Plateau State House of Assembly. 

“The intransigence of the Speaker and the Governor of the state in this matter is wrong, undemocratic and violently contemptuous of the authority of the Court of Appeal, the highest court for the determination of election petition matters as it concerns the House of Assembly.

“The NWC urges the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly to swear in the members without further delay in the interest of peace in the good State of Plateau.”

Speaking further, Morka noted that part of the NWC’s resolution was flag off the update of members register nationally in Niger State, then flag off in one state in each of the other geo-political zones 

On Reconciliation and Intervention Delegation to the United Kingdom’s APC Diaspora Chapter, the Spokesperson said the party; “adopts in its entirety the report of the NWC’s high level Reconciliation and Intervention Delegation to the United Kingdom’s APC Diaspora Chapter.

“In particular, the NWC approved the constitution of an Interim Executive Committee of the Chapter of 24 members to be led by its Chairman, Hon. Tunde Doherty and Secretary, Hon. Joseph Adebola.  The Interim Executive Committee shall have a term of three months, which term may be renewed as may be necessary.”