By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has urged the leadership of the National Assembly to intervene and ensure that the remaining Members Elect of the Plateau State House of Assembly are sworn-in for the purpose of equity, fairness and justice.
This resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Idris Wase, on the “URGENT NEED FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO INTERVENE IN THE NON-SWEARING IN OF SOME NEW MEMBERS ELECT OF THE PLATEAU STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY” on Tuesday at plenary.
Debating the motion, Rep. Wase noted that in 2023 the Court of Appeal hearing appeals arising from judgements of the Plateau State Election Tribunal, made decisions which resulted in the nullification of Certificates of Return of 16 sitting members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and ordered the issuance of new Certificates of Return to the new Members by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The motion reads: “Further notes that pursuant to the Provisions Section 72 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission issued Certificates of Return to the new Members in compliance with the order of the Appeal Court and the Law
“Aware that Section 94 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides the procedure for the swearing in of newly elected Members of a State House of Assembly.
“Also aware that the Members Elect of the Plateau State House of Assembly have met all the requirements of the law, as contained in section 94 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and section 72 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022”.
Wase express concern that the remaining Members Elect of the Plateau State House of Assembly are compelled to summit letters of resignation with accompanying Court Affidavit by the Speaker as a condition for swearing-in which amount to a mockery of democracy at a period Nigeria is celebrating 25 years of unbroken democracy.
“Concerned that the current situation, where some of the new Members were selected and sworn-in by the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly while others have not been sworn-in, contradicts the principles of fairness and justice that our electoral laws seek to uphold.
“Disturbed that failure to address the delays or biases in the swearing-in of these new Members Elect is a total denial of the voices of other constituencies in Plateau State and undermines our commitment to justice, fairness, and the principles of democracy and poised a threat to security in the State”, the motion further reads.