The Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, said he would not recognise the 16 lawmakers who were declared winners of the election into their various constituencies by the Court of Appeal when victories of the People’s Democratic Party candidates who won the elections were annulled.
Dewan who said he has a court injunction against recognizing the 16 lawmakers, of the All Progressives Congress, as members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, however, said he would also not recognise the 16 sacked PDP members who attempted to resume plenary on Tuesday despite being sacked by the tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
But, Dewan said he would only recognise eight members of the Assembly while the sacked PDP lawmakers, and the other 16 APC lawmakers with certificates of return, will be shut out for now.
Dewan said this while speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Jos, following the resumption of the lawmakers’ long recess, after the Court of Appeal sacked 16 members elected on the platform of PDP.
There was mild drama earlier on Tuesday, at Old Government Jos, the temporary venue of the assembly, after a police tear gas accidentally went off.
The tear gas went off as police personnel were trying to stop supporters of the sacked members from gaining access to where the lawmakers were billed to sit.
However, the eight members gained access to the temporary premises of the assembly, but the others were denied entry.
“At present, there are 32 members laying claim to the seats.
“Since the 32 members had their certificates of return, and are laying claim to their mandates, it would be unlawful to admit them into the chambers.
“For now, only eight members will be sitting. I have a court injunction restraining the House from inaugurating the 16 APC members.
“Yes, they have their certificates of return issued to them by INEC, but they can’t be inaugurated until the final determination or vacation of the injunction,’’ he said.
The 16 lawmakers of PDP had attempted to resume plenary following comments by the Supreme Court that the Court of Appeal was wrong to sack them.
The Assembly complex has been taken over by security personnel.
The State Governor, Caleb Muftwang has declared 24-hour curfew on the state over the crisis.
