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From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Plateau State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken steps to appeal the ruling delivered by Plateau State High Court barring the party from participating in the October 9 local government elections.
The judgement, which was delivered Wednesday by Justice Yakubu Kunda of High Court 5, Jos quashed the suit filed by the PDP to challenged the exclusion of the party from the October 9 council election by Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC).
The party described the judgement as a rape on democracy which is expected to be participatory but making it exclusive for the ruling APC.
Edward Pwajok SAN, Lead Counsel of the party, said there were many contradictions in the judgment.
‘Let’s say it loud and clear that we are going to file an appeal against the judgment. All the issues that were resolved by the Court, I must say that we are dissatisfied, and because we respect the law, we will go to the Court of Appeal, and we are optimistic that the Court will reverse the decisions,’ he stated.
‘From just listening to the judgment, there are so many contradictions, there were issues of somersaulting here and there. We commend the judge for the work he has done, but we say that because we feel that it was not the right judgment that was given, that is why we are going to the Court of Appeal.
‘So, we appeal to members of PDP, to be law-abiding, peaceful and to be optimistic; because thank God that the constitution has given them the right to appeal.’
Pwajok added: ‘One of the reasons some of us are not happy is that PLASIEC and APC will be doing an exercise in futility… the problem is that it will be at the expense of Plateau people, as the state is very poor.
‘Where would the state fret with the scarce resources on a fake election. It is undemocratic not to allow the electorate the latitude to choose the people that will represent them as their councillors and chairmen.
‘Now that Nigeria is in democracy, we are very optimistic that the higher courts will uphold the inalienable right of Plateau voters.
‘What will happen on the 9th October 2021, let me say it loud and clear, it will only be a charade, a fake exercise, but unfortunately at huge public expense. So APC, should not be laughing, they must prepare to face the people of Plateau. They must account for their misdeed,’ he said.
Justice Kunda, who delivered the judgment on the matter, upheld PLASIEC’s decision and said the suit by PDP lacked substance because the party could not abide by the guidelines of the Commission in participating in the elections.
Kunda maintained that PLASIEC has the right to have refused PDP nomination and expression of interest forms for the said election; stressing that the PDP erred for not having followed the instructions.
The judge sighted the judgment of SP Gang of November 20th, 2020, which ordered the party to conduct state congress, the party went ahead to evoke sections of its constitution and dissolved the state EXCO and constituted a caretaker committee which conducted its primaries that produced the candidates which PLASIEC refused to issue forms to.
The judge held that all the steps and actions taken by the caretaker committee of PDP, including the conduct of the said primary elections were null and void and awarded N2.5 million damages against the PDP.
‘The entire claims in the submission of the claimant is hereby, dismissed,’ the judge ruled.
The Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and senator representing Plateau North, Istifanus Gyang, described the judgement as an assault on democracy and an attempt to deny the PDP participation in the October 9 local government election.
The senator said that those who have been the beneficiaries of democracy have turned round to put up a display of underhanded tactics.
Sen Gyang, however, expressed confidence that ‘as the PDP proceeds on Appeal, the Appeal Court will serve justice in this matter to save and preserve democracy on the Plateau.’
