By Chinelo Obogo
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau state, George Mathew, has alleged that the crisis at the State House of Assembly took a different dimension after thugs took over the security of the Assembly complex.
He said that thugs pushed police officers aside stationed at the Assembly complex and alleged that this happened in order to prevent the 16 members-elect, who were declared as winners by the courts from gaining access since the 16 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members sacked by the courts lost their bid to get the judgment reviewed.
This comes as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC called on the Governor, Caleb Muftwang, to allow the reinstatement of the 16 APC members who won their cases.
National Vice Chairman of the APC (South West), Isaac Kekemeke, on behalf of the NWC, said the party will ensure the enforcement of the decision of the Court of Appeal, being the last court for the election.
He said, “It is sad that the governor of Plateau who is enjoying his office by the constitution of this country in an election will want to deny 16 members of the fruit of their electoral work and to deny our party the success that they won for the people. This is a disgrace to democracy and its unacceptable behaviour.
“The National Working Committee expresses its outrage and displeasure over this continued illegality and this unacceptable arbitrage by the Governor of Plateau State, the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and by the PDP in Plateau State.”
He said that the ruling party will no longer allow the ‘legislative rascality’ of the Speaker to go unchallenged and called on the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspection General of Police and all other law enforcement agencies to enforce the final decision of the Court of Appeal, being the last court concerning this election.
The PDP lost 16 members of the state House of Assembly via an Appeal Court judgement which declared that the party on which platform they had contested elections had no structure in the state to sponsor them and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to issue certificates of return to 15 APC and one Labour Party candidate that participated in the election.
INEC has complied with the directive and issued certificates of return to the candidates but they are yet to be inaugurated.