The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, has explained the reason behind his swearing-in of only 9 out of 16 members of the House who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The 16 APC members were returned to the House after the Court of Appeal sacked 16 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were occupying those seats.
Last week, the Speaker swore in 9 members and left out 7, an action that has infuriated the APC.
Explaining his action on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Dewan said the 7 members are yet to complete the necessary procedures needed before they could be sworn in.
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He said: “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 added that, “Sometimes two weeks ago, I was told by those responsible for documentation in the House of Assembly that 9 members have submitted their certificates of return and have met all the requirements and I said okay.
“So, I don’t know if the CTC copies of the other members are not ready. So, what was presented to me was what I recognised and I swore them in.”
Dewan maintained that only the presentation of the certificates of return and the CTC copies of the judgements by the remaining members would give him the authority to inaugurate them as members of the House of Assembly.
On the accusation by some members of the APC that he contemn a court order, Dewan challenged those accusing him to sue him for contempt.
He also denied that his action was politically motivated, insisting that he was only ensuring that due process is followed.