Reps beg Nass leadership to intervene in the ongoing crisis at the Plateau state House of Assembly
The House of Representatives has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately intervene and ensure that the remaining Members Elect of the Plateau State House of Assembly are sworn for the purpose of equity, fairness and justice.
This resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent national importance brought by former deputy speaker Rep. Idris Wase (APC, Plateau).
He explained that in 2023 the Court of Appeal hearing appeals arising from judgements of the Plateau State Election Tribunal, made decisions which resulted in the nullification of Certificates of Return of 16 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue new Certificates of Return to new Members which was done.
According to him, “The Members Elect of the Plateau State House of Assembly have met all the requirements of the law, as contained in section 94 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and section 72 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“However, the remaining Members Elect of the Plateau State House of Assembly are compelled to submit letters of resignation with accompanying court affidavit by the Speaker as a condition for swearing-in which amount to a mockery of democracy at a period Nigeria is celebrating 25 years of unbroken democracy.”
He also expressed concern that the current situation, where some of the new Members were selected and sworn-in by the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly while others have not been sworn-in, contradicts the principles of fairness and justice that our electoral laws seek to uphold.
“The failure to address the delays or biases in the swearing-in of these new Members Elect is a total denial of the voices of other constituencies in Plateau State and undermines our commitment to justice, fairness, and the principles of democracy and poised a threat to security in the State”, he stated.
The motion was unanimously adopted when the presiding officer put the question.
Nigerians, especially constituents from Plateau state can keep track of Rep Wase and his activities in the 10th House of Representatives here.
