Supreme Court, Gov Lalong and the Sum-Pyem stool

One will not be mistaking for concluding that the administration of Plateau State Government steered by Governor Simon Lalong is unjustifiably claiming to be upholding the rule of law, particularly as it relates to the Supreme Court’s judgment of 1st February, 2019 that restored/affirmed the decision of the Plateau State High Court of 13th April, 2006 which upheld the selection of Arc. Hudu Ibrahim Manomi as the duly elected Sum-Pyem of Pyem Chiefdom in Mangu Local Government Area but they chose to brazenly disobey such decisions/orders as an act of official abuse of office.

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More worrisome, and in trying to argue or justify their contemptuous act, the government, which clearly and unequivocally proceeded to purportedly produce one Mr. Charles Mato Dakat unto the throne of Sum-Pyem (while the matter was pending before the Supreme Court) continued in defiance of the court’s decisions/orders on the pretext of hanging onto some inapplicable authorities (of law) which are overwhelmingly debunked and rebuffed. The presumption of regularity in purportedly bringing in Mr. Charles Mato Dakat unto the throne in question has substantially and brazenly led to a miscarriage of justice.

It remained a notorious fact that Arc. Hudu Ibrahim Manomi, having been duly elected as the Sum-Pyem of Pyem Chiefdom on the 17th May, 2004 has since acquired all accrued and vested rights as affirmed by the High Court of Plateau State and the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Therefore, he ought to have been installed on the throne and be paid all accrued entitlements and remunerations in compliance with these court judgments.

Doing anything to the contrary under whatever guise amounts to a clear circumvention of the law and in furtherance of contempt, breaching the ultimate and final decisions/orders of the highest court of the land. Hence the urgent need to restore the stolen mandate of this exalted throne to its legitimate, legal and rightful winner who was robbed of the mandate by the “powers that be” on the Plateau in collaboration with the   successive administrations in the state.

Mr. Charles Mato Dakat, being fully aware of the pending litigation on this stool, submitted himself to the purported selection (November, 2013) to the throne to be selected as Sum-Pyem and even when he was served with processes of the Supreme Court, he outrightly refused such service and on his own violation too, failed to apply as an interested party while the case lasted. This raised the issues of contempt and estoppel by standing against him. More so, since there was no vacancy (since 17th May, 2004) for him to  have presented himself (making him not a necessary party) and now he, holding on to the stolen mandate that doesn’t  belong to him, parading himself as Sum-Pyem remains illegal, illegitimate and criminal.

Be that as it may, judgment enforcement proceeding seeking a mandatory order of the Supreme Court compelling the government to comply with these court decisions/orders and other orders/sanctions deemed necessary by the court now remain the last option.

It wouldn’t have reached this extent had justice, rule of law been accorded to all with fairness on this matter. But we are now at a risk of arbitrariness of power which seem to abort our constitutional guarantees as the sanctity of court orders are being undermined with impurity. Therefore, we urge Governor Lalong to see reason and wisdom in himself and his administration and do the right thing for the last on this issue.

Awwalu Haruna Maaji wrote from Gindiri Plateau State