The 16 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly elected in the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said they are ready to square up against those promoting the ‘rule of might’ through self-help in absolute derogation of the orders of the court.
The aggrieved lawmakers led by Hon. Maiyaki Bala disclosed this at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja where they also warned that they would no longer continue to tolerate the wanton indiscretion by enemies of democracy.
They expressed disbelief that four months after the judgement, the Speaker of the state Assembly has refused to inaugurate them.
They posited that they both the Speaker and the state governor were in an unholy alliance to deny them the opportunity to represent their constituencies.
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 after which they were presented with Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Jos on the 23rd day of December, 2023.
Bala further the same Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had entered judgments in favour of four members of the House of Representatives and indeed the Senator representing Plateau Southern and thereafter, Plateau Central Senatorial Zones.
They said: “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.”
The aggrieved lawmakers recalled the intervention of Mr. President in the Ondo, Rivers, and most recently the Edo States crisis which gave those states succor and direction, saying they deserve the same attention.
They added: “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.”