The House of Representatives Minority caucus has called for sanctions against judges involved in the controversial judgements that led to the sack of several ex-lawmakers from Plateau State.
The caucus, in a statement by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) on Monday, called for appropriate sanctions against all justices involved in the saga.
“The justices who handed them down should be seriously reprimanded to serve as a deterrent to other judges who may want to toe this path in future,” he stated.
Plateau State Election Petition Saga
PREMIUM TIMES reported the sack of PDP legislators in Plateau State, both at the national and state levels.
The Court of Appeal had anchored its decision sacking the lawmakers on the alleged failure of the PDP to comply with an order of the Plateau State High Court to conduct fresh congresses before holding primary elections for the nomination of its candidates for the 2023 general elections.
The court, in all of the cases, ruled that the PDP has no structure, therefore, invalidly nominating candidates cannot attract lawful votes.
In the process, all Plateau State House of Assembly and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the PDP were sacked.
The Appeal Court also sacked Caleb Mutfwang on the same ground, however, the Supreme Court tackled the ruling of the lower court and reinstated Mr Mutfwang in a judgement last Friday.
Inyang Okoro who headed the five-member Supreme Court panel, said, “My only worry is that a lot of people have suffered as a result of the Court of Appeal’s decision. It was absolutely wrong. The appeal is allowed.”
However, despite the judgement of the Supreme Court, the affected lawmakers cannot appeal the cases because parliamentary election petitions end at the Court of Appeal.
We want sanctions to prevent future occurrences – Chinda
Mr Chinda said the sanction would serve as a deterrent to prevent such injustice from happening again.
“While commending the Supreme Court for the courageous decisions handed down, which have vindicated our earlier position, It is imperative to refer to the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the National Assembly and State Elections Tribunals in respect of State Houses of Assembly and National Assembly elections in Plateau state, which sacked several PDP legislators on very questionable grounds.
“Grounds that the Supreme Court has set aside through these judgments. Although the said decisions cannot be appealed against even though they occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice, the justices who handed them down should be seriously reprimanded to serve as a deterrent to other judges who may want to toe this path in future,” the lawmaker said.
Mr Chinda also congratulated all the opposition governors who won at the Supreme Court.
