Mutfwang appoints sacked PDP lawmakers as aides

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has appointed the 16 sacked lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state assembly as liaison officers for their respective constituencies.

It would be noted that the 16 sacked lawmakers lost their seats at the State House of Assembly in November 2023 after the Appeal Court held that their party (PDP) was not qualified to sponsor candidates in an election.

But since the Supreme Court set aside the similar judgment against Governor Mutfwang, the sacked lawmakers have vowed to retain their seats.

After storming the assembly in January after its resumption, the lawmakers approached the Appeal Court to seek a review of its judgment sacking them. The appellate court last week dismissed the suit and fined the sacked lawmakers a combined N128 million for instituting a frivolous suit to waste the court’s time.

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But the governor, while swearing them in as liaison officers on Monday, said the appointment was aimed at enhancing rural engagement and fostering inclusive development across the state.

Despite the Appeal Court’s decision last week and their appointment as liaison officers, the PDP lawmakers said they are still pursuing their case.

Timothy Dantong, who represented Riyom constituency and is one of the affected PDP lawmakers, stated, “The judgment of the Appeal Court is being misinterpreted. It was a day for a hearing, and our lawyer did not present the case on that day.

“There was an application for an extension of time. The issue of reviewing our case was not even brought before the court that day. When our lawyer realised that it was a three-man panel instead of a five-man panel, he said he was not going to present the matter before a three-man panel because the constitution is very clear about it. And in every reviewed case, there is a five-man panel. He told the panel that he had written to the President of the Court of Appeal and requested the five-man panel as it is in the constitution.

“The judges were annoyed and decided to slam the fine on him for wasting their time. And the news was carried around that the case had been dismissed. The case wasn’t even heard in the first place; talk less of dismissing it. We are coming up with the case very strongly. We are hoping that the CTC of the governorship (Supreme Court decision) will be ready to be included in the case because the case has not been heard at all,” Dantong explained.