Yakubu Busari
Embattled Aspirant of the Labour Party in Plateau State ,Amb. Yohanna M.D.Margif has expressed shock on the way and manner of the desperation of Dr Patrick Dakum and the Ex-Governor, as well as others who booted him out of the party without following the guidelines of the LP and the electoral act, accusing them of fraudulently using forgery documents to desperately seek a pathway of ascendancy to political power.
In a press conference held at the NUJ, Plateau State chapter secretariat in Jos, on Sunday, Comrade Solomon Ndam, DG of Margif/Bot Campaign Council made this known.
He said the conference was designed to engage and designed to provide update from the Campaign Council of Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif about the verdict of the Hon Court on the status of the Governorship ticket of Labour Party in Plateau State.
He Kindlyrecalledl that on Friday, 9th December 2022, her lordship justice Dorcas Agishi of the FHC Jos delivered judgement on the lawsuit filed by Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif to safeguard his candidature as the standard governorship flag bearer of Labour Party in Plateau State against “illegal substitution “; we’re grateful to the Hon Court for its verdict, which has spurred Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif to escalate his quest for justice by appealing the judgement of Justice Dorcas Agishi to the Appeal Court in his diligent efforts to safeguard his governorship ticket of Labour Party in Plateau State.
According to him, “It’s observed that the Hon Justice Dorcas Agishi placed heavy reliance on issues that are entirely unrelated to the lawsuit of Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif to arrive at the verdict of the Court in her judgement; expelled him” from the party, *failure to oppose the second primary election of the Party on 5th August 2022 & the endorsement of the National Chairman and Secretary on a purported withdrawal letter dated 5th August 2022″.
He stated that on the contrary, the basic and simple grounds of the lawsuit of Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif are;
He did not personally submit any letter of voluntary withdrawal from the Governorship race in Plateau State to the national Chairman and Secretary of the Party
(ii) His lawyers delivered his letter to LP and INEC on 2nd August 2022 to debunk rumours that he had withdrawn from the governorship race in Plateau State
(iii) the purported letter of withdrawal that is said to have been endorsed by the two principal officers the Party does not bear the name & LP membership card number of Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif
(iv) as a candidate of LP, Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif emerged from a valid internal process of the Party; from screening, primary election, issuance of a certificate of return, filing of nomination papers with INEC, the valid nomination of his running mate and the eventual publication of his name by INEC.
Comrade Ndam said, All the steps outlined in paragraph 4 above and much more are explicitly defined by the 2022 Electoral Act, which law was glaringly ignored by the Hon judge in preference for a 2010 electoral law that has been repealed.
The lawsuit of Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif is about attempts at illegal substitution and not about the day to day management of the internal affairs of LP for which issues of expulsion, the role of the two principal officers for endorsement of documents and scheduling of party events that constituted the fundamental basis of the verdict of the Court by Hon Justice Dorcas Agishi.
In light of the above, therefore, I wish to assure members of Labour Party in Plateau State, the supporters of the Party and the general public that;
(a) Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif will appeal the judgement of the Hon Justice Dorcas Agishi at the Appeal Court
(b) LP members, the supporters of the Party and the general public should remain calm and united as we head to electoral victory in the 2023 elections on 11th March 2023
(c) As a man of faith in the unfailing goodness of the Lord God of Hosts, Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif has taken refuge under the laws of the land to seek justice in safeguarding his Governorship ticket as the validly nominated candidate of LP in Plateau State.
He pointed out that, As Governor of Plateau State, D.V., the administration of Amb Yohana Yilpwan Margif will restore an inclusive sense of Community of People in Plateau State united for peace and prosperity under a multicultural atmosphere of love, and above all, guided by constitutionality and rule of law.
As a blessed Land and People under God, no one of goodwill in Plateau State will wish to have a governance administration established and founded on
