Plateau: Why 9 out of 16 APC lawmakers were inaugurated- Dewan
By Innocent Raphael
Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt (Hon) Gabriel Dewan, has provided insight into why he swore in only 9 out of the 16 All Progressives Congress (APC) members following a court ruling that nullified 16 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seats.
He stated this on Friday, while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The Speaker emphasized that his actions were not politically driven but aimed at upholding due process.
Dewan alleged that the omitted 7 members had not completed necessary procedures, citing the absence of formal communication from electoral authorities regarding the court’s decision.
He stated in part: “Sometime in November, there was a pronouncement in the court that 16 of my members have been removed by the Court of Appeal. A pronouncement in the court is different from the procedures in the House.
“I wasn’t in the court, I heard it on air that 16 members have been removed. There is no communication to me from the INEC or the CTC of the judgement for me to be sure that truly those members have been removed or anything.
“And I was waiting for that proper thing to be done, what did I get? Sometime in January, a lawyer, one S.O Obende or so, wrote a letter to my office attached with 16 certificates of return of members and I replied back that Obende is not a member of my Assembly. If the court has declared members elect the members know the normal procedure to follow.
“The right thing to be done was for INEC to write to me as the Speaker directing me that based on this judgement, attaching the communication with the CTC of the judgement, that based on this judgement, we have been directed to withdraw the certificate of return from this honourable to these honourables.
“Therefore, we are directing you as the electoral umpire to recognise this person as your member, that was never done.”
The speaker further assured that upon receipt of proper documentation, including certificates of return and court judgments, could he lawfully inaugurate members.
Denying allegations of political bias and contempt of court, Dewan challenged critics to legally contest his decisions, reiterating his commitment to procedural integrity in the assembly’s functioning.
