Yakubu Busari
Following the dissolution of the Plateau Local Government Council (LGC) Executives by the state governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang , the sacked Chairmen have resorted to seeking the legal interpretation of the remaining three years of tenure in office
The affected officers have been contesting the termination of their tenure which is just halfway.
Since the dissolution of the elected Chairmen and Councilors in of the 17 Local Government Areas (LGA) in the state, activities in the various councils have been disrupted and non-functional with the decision attracting protests and rallies to the state House of Assembly and the Police Command, to express their disagreement on the issue.
After securing an order from Justice Ishaku Kunda of the State High Court in Jos, the Plateau State capital, for a stay of execution on the governor not to dissolve the local government officials, the Association of Local Government Of Nigeria (ALGON), Plateau State Chapter, also visited the Police Commissioner, Bartholomew Onyeka , to express their concern on the matter.
This newspaper’s findings reveal that the controversy still raging in the House of Assembly which confirmed the Governor’s decision to bring in the Caretaker Committee for the councils was opposed by the Inspector General to seal off the councils.
The governor however insisted that the LG Chairmen, as well as the Councilors, remain dissolved according to the laws guiding LG in the state.
Though the Chairmen were prevented from entering their offices, the Police Commissioner in the state and ordered instructions to the Divisional Police officers (DPO) to seal off the headquarters.
The Honourably , Justice Ishaku Kunda of the Plateau State High Court of Jos, Division has adjourned to the 22nd day of September 2023 to resume hearing on the pending motions and substantive suit filed by the Seventeen (17) Local Governments Chairmen for illegal truncating the three years tenure.
The counsel to claimant/ applicants, Pascal N.Mammo told the court their motion on notice dated the 9th day of June praying the order of mandatory injunction to be issued against the action taken by the Governor, Caleb Mutfwang to scuttle the democratic structure of the 17 LGAs and their legislative arms.
However the defendant through his counsel Maren k.Mulen for the 1st and 2nd in replied to the claimants filed a counter affidavit on the 20th of June,2023, saying that he was just served today in court at about 8:50 am where the claimants served the mandatory injunction motion of 22nd of June, just yesterday.
Maren explained that due to the volume of the claimant’s document on behalf of the 1st and 2nd defendants he is seeking an extension of time to file a further and better affidavit.
According to him, as it is now the claimant’s application is not ripe for hearing because the service was done today in court so he prayed
Maren urged the court to grant him an order for the extension of time to respond and complete all processes in accordance with the law by complying with the dateline.
Besides, Maren also told the court that he has three pending motions to move one is dated 16/06/2023 praying that he should be given the shortest possible time to respond and the second is praying the order of the court to set aside the order of 19/06/2023 which was not contested by the claimants.
He also moved the motion dated the 22nd day of June, urging the court to grant them all praying sought before the court and the claimants couldn’t oppose it.
Maren stressed that the last motion is that of preliminary objection dated 16/06/2023 in reaction to the claimants to be served with a written address of bulking documents filed on 22/06/2023 which was served on the defendants here in court.
