From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Plateau State says it was appalled by a judgment of an area court in Bukuru, which ordered the unsealing of the secretariats of the 27 local government areas of the state.
The party said it was equally disturbed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP could procure the services of an unqualified judicial officer to obtain what it described as “perpetual and flagrant disrespect for judicial processes.”
In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Sylvanus Namang, the party and made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, the party described the judgment as “dubious.”
An area court presided over by Justice H. H. Dolnaan, had ordered the police to unseal and vacate the premises of 17 local government headquarters, which were sealed following the sacking of the elected chairmen by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
Attempts by the governor to replace them with caretaker committees were resisted by the chairmen, who were mostly of the opposition APC.
The police had to intervene by sealing the premises as the situation was leading to a breakdown of law and order
But APC said that the ruling party might be inviting anarchy by trying to thwart the orders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to avert possible mayhem in a state already plagued by crises.
The statement said, “Surprisingly, the Area Court Judge, HH Dolnaan who our investigation has revealed is not a trained lawyer by profession and who is due to go on retirement soon, threw caution to the winds and recklessly granted all the reliefs sought and damn the consequences.
“The APC calls for restraint by the Plateau State government with regards to its mindless travesty of Justice and trivialising an otherwise serious issue which touches on the security and stability of the state.
“It would not have caused the Plateau State government anything except its pride and self-esteem to allow the elected Local Government Chairmen and their councillors to complete their tenure which will expire in October 2024 instead of its defiance of Orders of Courts of competent jurisdiction.
“The PDP government in Plateau State should not take us back to the dark days of 2006 when the government of former Governor Joshua Dariye appointed Justice Ya’u Dakwang who was 4th in the hierarchy of High Court Judges as Acting Chief Judge to play his script which led to the punishment of the judge who accepted himself to be used by politicians.
“The APC hereby calls for the immediate sanctioning of the Area Court Judge, Hon. H.H. Dolnaan for availing himself to give those cheap orders knowing full well that he lacks the jurisdiction to do so.
“This would serve as a deterrent to others who might in future choose to toe such untoward lines.”