In a significant development for Plateau politics, Speaker Gabriel Dewan of the Plateau House of Assembly has administered the oath of office to nine members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, following a ruling by the Appeal Court affirming the victory of 16 members.
Recall that the Appeal Court had in November 2023 sacked 16 members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and declared those of the APC as the winners of the 2023 State Assembly election, but those declared were not able to resume duty as they were not inaugurated by the Speaker.
On Friday, nine out of the 16 members were inaugurated during plenary, and principal officers of the House also emerged.
The Speaker also announced the extension of the tenure of the Transition Implementation Committee Chairmen of the 17 Local Government Areas for nine months.
Shortly after the brief ceremony, the State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, received the principal officers and members who were in his office to intimate him about the development.
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The governor welcomed the lawmakers and emphasised the importance of fostering a harmonious working relationship and enhancing collaboration among the three arms of government in the best interest of the state.
He said, “Today brings me immense joy. I have always advocated for the seamless functioning of the three arms of government. Thus, it is gratifying to witness the House fully operational, poised to safeguard the interests of the people of Plateau State across various constituencies.
“Despite wrong accusations of obstructing the House’s inauguration, it is evident that the House is fully in charge of its affairs, and I commend you for that. Rest assured, we are committed to serving the people of Plateau State.
“We are dedicated to collaborating effectively to advance the interests of the people of Plateau State. The citizens expect nothing less than a cohesive effort from the executive, legislature, and judiciary to ensure security, economic development, and overall progress.”
The Speaker, Mr. Dewan, pledged their unwavering support in fostering a collaborative working relationship for good governance as he introduced the new principal officers, including the Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Majority Leader, and Minority Whip, assuring them of their commitment to serving the people of Plateau State.
Those sworn in include eight APC members and one Labour Party member, and they are Abdul Yanga, Sylvester Wallangko, Daniel Nanbol, Dickson Chollom, Nimshak Nansak, Eli Ankala Bendel Nancwat, Matthew Kwarpo, and Denty Laven.
However, the State Chairman of the APC, Rufus Bature, has frowned at the development and assured that the party would look into it and sanction any member found to have ignored advice from the party.
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