APC to Plateau speaker: You are disobeying court order — swear in our lawmakers

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Caleb Muftwang, governor of Plateau, and Gabriel Dewan, speaker of the state’s house of assembly, of forcing nine lawmakers of the party to sign post-dated resignation letters.

In a statement on Thursday, Felix Morka, the party’s spokesperson, said it is “illegal” that the speaker would ignore a court of appeal order to swear in 16 APC lawmakers.

“Nine lawmakers that succumbed to the intimidation and coercion, and signed the demanded post-dated resignation letters and verifying affidavits were inaugurated by the Speaker as members of the House of Assembly on April 5, 2024,” the statement reads.

“Seven members-elect that refused to submit to this illegality were denied inauguration by the Speaker.

“We condemn this brazen act of Governor Muftwang and Speaker as utterly outrageous, anti-democratic, illegal and a vile contempt of the binding judgment of the Court of Appeal that ordered the inauguration of all 16 APC members-elect as members of the House of Assembly.

“We wonder why Governor Muftwang and Speaker Dewan are unwilling and seemingly terrified to comply with a valid judgment of the Court of Appeal but would rather resort to illegal and underhand tactics to intimidate, blackmail and cajole members to sign post-dated resignation letters in violation of the laws of our land.

“The continued refusal of the Speaker to inaugurate the remaining seven APC members who have stoutly refused to submit to this illegality has become a clear and present threat to the peace and stability of Plateau state.

“Constituents of yet to be inaugurated members are becoming increasingly restive and may resort to peacefully protesting the unlawful refusal to inaugurate their own elected representatives.”

The spokesperson said the speaker should “unconditionally” swear in the remaining seven APC lawmakers without delay.

BACKGROUND

In April, Dewan inaugurated the nine APC lawmakers out of the 16 affirmed duly elected by the court of appeal.

The 16 lawmakers were declared duly elected after they filed an appeal against the ruling of the state’s election tribunal.

The court of appeal had sacked 16 lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were initially declared winners of the polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The speaker did not administer the oath of office to the 16 APC lawmakers owing to a suit reportedly filed by the PDP legislators sacked by the court.

However, nine of the APC lawmakers were sworn in at the old government house, the temporary venue of the assembly.

There were reports that the nine inaugurated lawmakers had already agreed to resign after taking the oath of office.