May 29: Group raises alarm over Plateau APC’s plot against Mutfwang

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The Executive Director of Kazatsi Reconciliation Centre and Human Development, Daniel Ajang has raised the alarm over a plot by the Governor  Simon Lalong administration to influence the Supreme Court ruling to halt the swearing-in of Plateau State Governor-elect, Caleb Mutfwang.

Ajang in a statement in Jos on Monday evening said the outgoing APC administration in the state which lost the 2023 elections to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is bent on using a matter in the supreme court that is not connected to the 2023 election to solicit for court pronouncement that will halt the swearing-in of Barr. Mutfwang on 29th May 2023.

He lamented that the appeal case which was filed by the PDP was adjourned to September 11, 2023, but some individuals with vested interest in the matter were said to have influenced the court registry to bring back the matter for tomorrow, Tuesday 23 May 2023.

The statement reads in parts, “Our attention has been drawn to a desperate move, by the outgoing APC administration of Governor Simon  Lalong in Plateau State who has resorted to unorthodox means of trying to stop Mr. Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP, the Governor-Elect from being sworn-in on the 29th May 2023.

“It will be recalled that the PDP appealed to the Supreme Court against the Judgement of Justice Kunda of the Plateau State High Court which excluded the PDP from participating in the 2021 Local Government elections on the ground that it had not complied with an earlier judgement of Justice S.P Gang also of the State High Court,  supposedly directing it to conduct fresh state party exco elections.  Upon being upheld by the Court of Appeal, the PDP lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court.

“It is worthy of note that while time for filing processes at the Supreme Court was still running for parties,  the matter was erroneously brought up on the Cause List in December 2022 and was dismissed for want of diligent prosecution. 

“The PDP upon discovering this unhealthy development, filed a motion to relist the matter.  The APC caused PLASEIC to instruct its lawyers to oppose the motion for relisting. When the matter came up on the 9th of May, 2023, the Supreme Court in its wisdom and open Court adjourned the matter to September 11, 2023.

“Curiously the same matter has now been brought backwards to Tuesday 23rd May, 2023 for a reason the members of the public wish to know. The question which begs for answers is who requested this change of date and for what purpose? Is the Supreme Court Registry so disorganized that it can unilaterally issue a new date for a matter that was adjourned in open Court?”

He noted that it appears that someone within the court registry is trying to impugn the integrity of the Supreme Court by colluding with litigants to erode the confidence of the people on the highest Court of the land.

“We, therefore call on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Hon. Justices of the Court to protect the integrity of this hallowed Chambers of Justice by preventing this pernicious mischief.

“We are a group that advocates for peace, unity and justice in Plateau and Nigeria and we will not keep quiet over issues that are capable of eroding peace in the state, ” he stated.