How Plateau CP avert Bloodbaths In Langtang North LGC of Plateau, says Laven

The re-instated Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council of Plateau State Hon. Joshua U. Laven has said if not for the timely intervention of the new Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bartholomew Onyeka Langtang North will have been plunged into an unimaginable crises that would have been difficult to curtail.

According to him, “if not for his timely intervention, some cabals would have remove me from Office this morning”.

Justice Ishaku Kunda of the Plateau State High Court last week ordered the immediate re-instatement of Hon. Joshua U Laven of the PDP as Chairman of Langtang North LGC. The court also pronounced that the APC Chairman, Barr. Rimven Zulfal who was sworn in last month by Governor Lalong to vacate the office and should not parade himself for any reason as the Executive Chairman of Langtang North Local Government council henceforth.

The Chairman who spoke to newsmen at the Council secretariat in Langtang amidst tight security said, the CP averted the bloodbaths when he heard about the ground mobilization of APC youths and security operative to remove him from office and usher in the sacked APC Chairman, Barr. Zulfa. Laven also said the PDP youth of course are poised to protect the mandate of the people and would not let it go.

“The CP got the information and call his DPO to come to the Council Secretariat and quickly summoned the party’s leadership and called those that are responsible for the breach of peace to give peace a chance.”

“The Police Commissioner was on top of the situation having been informed about the danger that is looming quickly engaged the youths and relevant stakeholders who were said to have been mobilized by the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress to usher in Barr. Zulfal Rimven to office .

He added that he saved what would have been bloodbaths in Langtang North LGC. “Last night, I was in my office as the Executive Chairman of Langtang North , when youths who were heavily mobilized from the town by the self acclaimed chairman of Langtang north Barr. Zulfal Rimven with the view to storm the council secreteriat to take over the office.”

“They want Tarok people to shed blood . But I do not think I will do that. The mobilization yesterday would have been disastrous if not the timely intervention of the CP who was able to tamed the overzealous power mongers in the state who think the office of the chairman of Langtang North is a do and die affairs to them.

“I thank the new commissioner of Police and his men, the DSS, NSCDC and the hunters group who promptly responded to our save our soul message SOS as the LGC is under serious siege by people who were mobilized from neighbouring local government to remove me from office .”

The chairman further stressed “He assured us he is going to deployed his men with a view to ensure the protection of lives and property. The town is tensed, the youth are being mobilized. I can not hide my joy when the CP responded swiftly. The governor name and his brother is being mentioned as responsible for the siege . Please let avert this bloodbath that is abaut to happen in Langtang North “.

According to Laven all the local government staff have been coercised not to come to work because they do not want to recognize him. He stressed that Governor Lalong is a lawyer while pleading with him not to allowed this impunity to continued because any denial to justice is a call to fight for it.

The chairman also alledge that it is the Governor and his brother were fingered has having hands in this crises that is brewing. The Tarok people are saying no to this charade and impunity . The people voted me unianimously for three years adding that it is the cabal that are responsible for this breach of peace.

“The CP did not sleep last night , he engaged stakeholders and was calling them every minutes, urging them to calm down.”

Laven appeal to the cabals to always allowed the rule of law to take it cause as well as to obey court order stressing that if there is any judgement that supersede the judgement order of the Plateau state hight court, he is ready to obey it because he is a law abiding citizen .

Our correspondent recall that Plateau State high court sitting in Jos on the 2nd of November, 2021 reinstated the Chairman of Langtang North Local government area, Hon. Joshua U.Laven.

Justice Kunda Ishaku while delivering judgement in a suit filed by the claimant, by way of Originating Summons, the said, it was wrong in fact and in law to have conducted elections in the LGA while the tenure of the present chairman was far from over.

According to justice Kinda, by its computation and calculation, the seat of the chairman of Langtang North LGC would only become vacant on 9th October, 2022 and that Hon. Laven “remains the Chairman of Langtang LG till 2022”.

He said as elected Chairman, the complainant took oath to serve for three years, noting that “it was unconstitutional to cut short that tenure, and truncate it by conducting elections there”. Accordingly, the Judge expressed surprise that with all the efforts by the complainant, Laven to draw the attention of the PLASIEC to this reality, the electoral body shunned the opportunity and arrogantly proceeded to conduct elections in Langtang North.

Justice Kunda said, what the PLASIEC did amounted to “an act of rascality”, Justice Kunda accordingly described the last October 9 local government elections in Langtang North local government area as a “waste of resources and a total nullity”.

Meanwhile, counsel to Laven Barr. Niri Darong while explaining the nature and structure of the judgment, said it is a “declarative judgment”, meaning even if the respondent wants to go on appeal, the beneficiary of the outcome of the case has to return to the office immediately.

Earlier and before reaching the judgment, the Court dismissed the Preliminary Objection (PO) filed by the Defendants, Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), Governor Simon Lalong and two others challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

Justice Ishaku Kunda ruled that the tenure of the Chairman will begin to count from the day he was sworn in.

The court has however, awarded the cost of N2.5million to Hon. Laven, against the Defendants.