APC: Crisis brews as Gov. Muftwang refuses to inaugurate 16 lawmakers

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang continue to lock horns over the refusal of House of Assembly Speaker Gabriel Dewan to inaugurate 16 members elected to the chamber. The National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday drew a battleline with the governor, accusing him of backing the Speaker in his bid to delay the swearing-in of the lawmakers. It threatened legal action against the governor and Speaker for disobeying the judgment of the Court of Appeal that the 16  members were duly elected by their constituents. Speaker Dewan has hinged his refusal to inaugurate the 16 lawmakers on the judgment of the Supreme Court, which faulted the judgment of the Court of Appeal that sacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers based on the porous structure of PDP. The apex court, in its ruling on last year’s governorship election, declared that the issue of party structure was an internal affair of PDP that should not have been entertained by the Court of Appeal. However, while 16 PDP lawmakers have approached the Court of Appeal for a review of its judgment, the court dismissed their request. Owing to the Speaker’s refusal to allow the 16 members to take their seats, the Plateau Assembly is now made up of eight members, leaving other constituencies with no representation.