By Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos

The Plateau South People Assembly, PSPA, has added its voice to the barrage of controversy trailing alleged contradictory judgments delivered election petition tribunals in the state, saying the development is throwing the entire state into confusion and apprehension.

In a statement on Tuesday in Jos, by its Chairman, Dashe Dawam, and Secretary Elder Timloh Vongjen, PSPA called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, and the National Judicial Council, NJC, as well as other prominent Nigerians to “prevail on the judges handling election matters from Plateau State to allow the people have those they voted into office to represent them.”

The statement reads, “PSPA is an umbrella body of all the Six LGAs that make up Plateau South Senatorial District. PSPA appreciates Nigeria’s desire to develop an enduring Democracy that will stand the test of time. We note that the 2023 general election was a major stake that was to consolidate the democratic governance that has continued to evolve in the country since 1999.

“The desire for the people of the State to participate in the electoral process was demonstrated in the 2023 general elections where the people came out in large numbers, to vote for their preferred candidates.

“We are however taken aback by the recent waves of judicial pronouncements upturning the elections of our representatives in some of the constituencies in very strange circumstances by the Plateau Election Petition Tribunal and recently the Court of Appeal, which have given contradictory judgments on the same elections and the same subject matters, thereby throwing the entire state into a state of total confusion and apprehension.

“This ugly development calls for great concern about the role of the judiciary in upholding the tenets of democracy and appreciating the wishes of the people.

“We are shocked by the pattern of the judgments, nullifying elections of some of our representatives, under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over what is termed as improper nomination and sponsorship of candidates by the PDP.

“By this act, the judiciary may be perceived as imposing on itself the role of determining who will rule the people against their popular wishes. These developments are a great threat to democracy in Nigeria. The situation if not properly handled can lead to a total breakdown of law and order and undermine the existing peace on the Plateau.

“We hereby call on the judiciary to save democracy and allow justice to be served. Plateau people are not willing to throw away the mandate they freely gave their elected representatives on grounds of judicial technicalities and some other contradictory pronouncements.

“The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) and indeed, prominent Nigerians to prevail on the judges handling election matters from Plateau State to allow the people to have those they voted into office to represent them.

“The association also believes that the judiciary will restrain any efforts that will destabilize Plateau State, as our desire to live in peace is not optional, but a necessity.

“We also call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu to rise to the occasion of defending our evolving Democracy in Plateau State and Nigeria at large.”