Sixteen yet to be inaugurated members of the Plateau State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have warned that they will no longer tolerate the wanton indiscretion of those they described as enemies of democracy.
The aggrieved lawmakers led by Maiyaki Bala, spoke at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, where they said they were ready to square up against those promoting the ‘rule of might’ through self-help in absolute derogation of the orders of the court.
Bala recalled that in November 2023, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja ruled in favour of the 16 lawmakers in the appeals emanating from judgments of the State and National Assembly Tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau State.
He noted that they were presented with Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Jos on the 23rd day of December, 2023.
Bala added that the same Court of Appeal had entered judgments in favour of four members of the House of Representatives and indeed the Senator representing Plateau South, and thereafter, Plateau Central.
He stressed that four months after the judgement, the Speaker has refused to inaugurate them
“The appalling situation described above has validated with abhorrence and resistance the obscure practice of the principle of political gerrymandering where a few rules the majority in a democracy,” he said.
The aggrieved lawmakers recalled the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the Ondo, Rivers and most recently, the Edo crisis, which gave those states succor and direction.
They said they deserve the same attention.
“We have waited enough, giving everyone and every institution concerned the opportunity to do the needful.
“We will no longer continue to tolerate the wanton indiscretion of the enemies of our democracy who are parading themselves in sheep’s clothing whilst promoting the ‘rule of might’ through self-help in absolute derogation of the orders of the court.
“We have run out of patience and are set to defend the legal mandates given to us by our people through every legitimate means no matter whose ox is gored.
“We shall take this battle to the doorstep of everyone concerned from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, The Attorney-General of the Federation, The Inspector-General of Police, The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, and more.”
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