By James Moses (9News Nigeria -Jos)
The case filed by 16 lawmakers sacked by the Appeal Court in Plateau seeking a review of the Appeal Court judgement sacking them as members of the Plateau State House of Assembly has suffered a huge set back as the application was dismissed for lacking in merit.
The Court in its wisdom dismissed the case on totality for waste of judicial time and imposed a fine of N8 million naira each to be paid by each of the 16 members in the suit filed.
Recall that on 24th November, 2023, the Appeal Court nullified the election of all the 16 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared the first runner ups be issued Certificate of Return by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
They comprise 16 members-elect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 1 from the Labour Party (LP).
The Speaker declared that he recognized only 7 members of the house immediately after the Supreme Court declared Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang as Governor of Plateau State on 12th January, 2024, saying he’ll only recognize the 16 members elect after the Court must have interpreted the judgement of Appeal Court.
Therefore, the uncertainty surrounding the judgement of the Appeal Court has been put to rest.
9News Nigeria reports that the Court of Appeal had sacked the lawmakers on the ground that their party lacked structure and could not sponsor candidates in an election and declared all candidates that came second in the elections.
However, the Speaker of the state assembly, Gabriel Dewang, could not swear in the16 All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) members on January 23, arguing that he had received Court process and asked th to wait until Court make a determination on the matter.
-9News Nigeria.
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