Toba Owojaiye reporting
Jos, Plateau
In a tumultuous turn of events on Tuesday, armed policemen deployed teargas against 16 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Plateau State House of Assembly. These lawmakers, who were recently ousted by a Court of Appeal judgment, and their supporters had gathered at the Rayfield Old Government House in Jos, intending to resume plenary sessions.
Security personnel took control of the Government House premises, blocking the sacked lawmakers from entering the legislative chambers. Despite their eviction, the PDP members remained steadfast, vowing not to leave the premises. Meanwhile, the unaffected lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) gained access to the chambers.
Truth Live News gathered that the Speaker Gabriel Dewan, emerging from the legislative session, expressed readiness to support President Bola Tinubu and the Executive Governor of Plateau State. However, he remained cautious about the status of the 16 sacked PDP lawmakers, citing ongoing court processes and 32 members claiming the 16 vacancies.
In response, Maren Ishaku, leader of the ousted PDP lawmakers, expressed satisfaction with the Speaker’s stance, leading his members away with a promise to await further developments. Notably, the APC members who benefited from the Court of Appeal judgment were absent from the plenary session.
APC spokesman Sylvanus Namang defended their absence, emphasizing adherence to due legislative process. He accused the PDP lawmakers of unnecessary interference, describing their actions as self-help and an attempt to overheat the system. Namang urged a halt to what he termed “rascality,” emphasizing the importance of law-abiding conduct.
As Plateau State awaits the resolution of the court processes, the political turmoil continues to unfold, raising questions about the legitimacy of legislative representation in the State Assembly.