Plateau PDP flays governor Lalong for disobeying Court judgement on Langtang North LGC

The Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused Governor Simon Lalong and the APC administration for not obeying the court judgement reinstating the chairman of Langtang North LGC Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma to complete his remaining one year in office.

The State PDP Legal Adviser Barr. Binchen Jantur while addressing Journalists at the PDP Secretariat, Jos on Monday also accused Lalong for disrespectful for the rule of Law in the state.

Jantur said despite the Justice Kunda Ishaku declarative judgment reinstating the the Langtang Council Chairman, Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma who is a member, but Lalong has continued to use his agents and cronies to obstruct the course of justice and forcefully aiding the ousted APC candidate to remain in office as chairman.

He said the Justice Kunda Ishaku judgment granted the applicant five reliefs, and summarily indicated that judgment is declarative, meaning the PDP chairman is restored to his office with immediate effect, without any procedures or protocols associated with executionary judgment.

Jantur said Governor Lalong is wilfully ignoring to create a crisis of legitimacy and identity of leadership in Langtang North and precipitate confusion and possible bloodshed.

Speaking on the same issue, the reinstated chairman of the Langtang North Council, Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma, said he is grateful to the Plateau State Police Commissioner, Batholomew Nnamdi Onyeka, who moved quickly to seal the local government council secretariat to avoid a clash of the two parties which may have led to a breakdown of law and order.

“My tenure as the Executive Chairman of Langtang-North is going to expire on the 9th of October, 2023. And the exercise carried out on the 9th October, 2021 as far as i am concern is null and void because there is no law that said you can just declared an Executive office vacant.

“I just want to make some clarification, I have been a law abiding person. I won my election in 2018 with landslide victory out of 18 wards and i won 17 wards but the government went ahead and sworn an imposture who won one ward into office for one year until i approach a court of competent jurisdiction and got my judgment.

This is an Executive office that the Governor, the Attorney General, PLASIEC and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs all know this but they went ahead a advertised the seat of Langtang-North vacant.

“And after the shanty election conducted, the Court said the exercise is null and void, is wast of public resources and gave a declarative judgment that is should to go back to my office because there is was and still no vacancy.

“This was a declarative judgment because I don’t need a Governor to swore me in because I have an oath of office already for three years which has not finished,”.

He stated that in the event that anything happened in Langtang-North, the Plateau State Government should be held responsible. “If anything happen in Langtang-North, any outbreak of law and order the government should be hold accountable. Because the Government are the ones inciting the Taroh nation to fight each other and i don’t think is going to be possible,” says Laven.

He expressed shocked over the position of he Attorney General of the State even when he exhausted various options for settlements and to no avail before the case waa taken to Court.

“I have been peaceful in pursuing my mandate up to now. So, today for the Attorney General to come say that the judgment is not binding on them is laughable. Motion on notice does not means stay, appeal that i have not been served appeal till date, and i have to go back to my office as stated in the judgment without any wast of time!”

He said the cabal are bend on throwing the peaceful Council area into crisis, “On the 3rd November, 2021 I went to my office and continue with my work. They are now threatening me with criminal trespass, in between me and them who should be charged with criminal trespass?

“where an impostor occupied my office illegally, i came and went into my office without any hindrances. And i must commend the Nigeria Police, the new CP has actually save bloodbath in Langtang North orchestrated by the government themselves.”

Also the PDP state chairman, Hon. Chris Hassan, said it is regrettable that, as a lawyer, the governor has embraced impunity and is conducting himself like a bull in a China Shop.

Hassan recalled that Lalong is orchestrating this breach of the law and desperation in Langtang North less two weeks after he sponsored seven members of the State House of Assembly to commit an illegality in the name of impeaching the Speaker.

He said the PDP will continue to explore the instrumentality of the law against the brazen desperation and lack of direction of the Lalong administration.