Plateau APC threatens Speaker over refusal to swear in 16

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The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State has threatened to drag the Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Dewan, to court over his continued refusal to swear in the 16 members of the party affirmed by the Court of Appeal at the elected members of the State Assembly.

Recall that the Court of Appeal Abuja Division on Monday dismissed the application by the sacked 16 members of the People Democratic Party (PDP) seeking a review of the judgement that sacked them following the Supreme Court judgement that affirmed Governor Caleb Muftwang as Governor of the State.

The Court, which dismissed the application for review of the judgement, also awarded a hefty fine in the sum of N8 million to each of the 16 APC members involved in the suit.

The State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Hon. Rufus Bature, expressed displeasure over the continued delay, adding that the flagrant disobedience to the judgement was contempt and a lack of respect for the judiciary and other constituted authorities.

Hon. Bature implored the Speaker of the House to do the needful and swear in the 16 APC lawmakers, adding that any further delay may force the party to institute another suit that might compel him to do the right thing.

“We cannot force the speaker to swear them in; we are giving him some time to see what he will do. I can assure you that we will do the needful. There are legal means that we need to follow if it becomes imperative or extremely necessary.

‘”Ordinarily, he should have sworn them in right from the onset. It is unfortunate that people who are products of the law don’t want to obey the law because the Speaker ought to have done the needful from the day they received their certificates of return. But we are being careful not to heat the system because of the security situation in the state. That does not mean we don’t know what to do.”

According to him, if the Speaker, Hon. Gabriel Dewan, still remains adamant, the party will have no option but to seek redress to compel him to do the right thing, adding that the speaker might be charged with contempt of court.

“The Speaker has no option but to swear them in; otherwise, he might be charged with contempt of court because this is contempt. My advice is that the Speaker should swear in the 16 members without any further delay.

“There is no doubt the Speaker is being teleguided from somewhere, but if he refuses to do the right thing, history will be harsh on him. He is a young man who is still growing in politics, so he should not destroy himself,” Bature advised.

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