By Golok Nanmwa,Jos
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau on Wednesday took a swipe on the People’s Democratic Party PDP in the state saying that the party ( PDP ) is deceiving itself and their supporters and the general public that there is no court case .
Addressing newsmen in Jos, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Hon. Slyvanus Namang, explained that the PDP in Plateau has so many perverse court cases hanging over their heads like a sword of Damocles .
In his words “We are duty bound to make reference to PDP’s serial legal summersaults and political misadventure ,we have watched with Keen interest how the PDP on the Plateau beginning from 2021 till date ,has been caught in the web of self destructiion due to its impunity and penchant for flagrant disobedience of court orders and verdicts of Courts of competent jurisdiction ,this tendency has even caught the attention of the court of appeal which has in one of its landmark Judgements in PDP VS Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission 2022 .
According to the APC Publicity Secretary ” ,As a party ,we refer to what Bar Caleb Mutfwang ,the Governor elect had once said on social media declared that the PDP has no case in the Supreme court ,then the sudden volte face by the party which rushed back tor the APex Court with a belated and trivial application for re listing ,revisiting ,reviewing ,restoring and reversal is laughable .”
He added that ‘Little wonder that the APC’s legal team ably lead by the Cerebral Chief Lateef Fagbemi responded in the Counter affidavit that ,the case of the PDP was dismissed due to lack of diligent prosecution as the facts deposed by the party were misleading ,slanted and untrue as they were flagrant abuse of the election act ” he added .
Namang further added that ” We are glad that the PDP yesterday suffered a major setback when the supreme court blatantly refused to hear their matter thereby shifting same to 11th September 2023 ,this is coming after the PDP has abandoned the suit which was dismissed in chambers on the 7th December 2022 for want of diligent prosecution,
He stressed that ” Yesterdays decision of the APex Court which implies that the court of appeal verdict of 6th May 2022 is the subsisting Judgement to the effect that the PDP in Plateau state , without a legal party EXCO has no validly nominated Candidates for the 2023 general elections as was the case with all other elections conducted by PLASIEC and INEC in Plateau state .”
Namang further said ” We have noted that the PDP’s persistent intimation ,threats and blackmail aimed at bringing the integrity of the judiciary into disrepute ,we have noticed with dismay the consistent misbehaviour of the Plateau PDP which always wants things to go their own way hence their disrespect for valid court orders .”
” This is most unacceptable in a democratic clime ,in addition to this ,the PDP’s propensity for pre – empting court verdicts is unbecoming of a political party which ordinary should be guided by respect for rule of law and democratic tenets .”
“We are witnessed to how the PDP has resorted to thumping their chest that no tribunal or court can rob them of their divine mandate ,such preposterous grandstanding by the PDP on the Plateau is not only overheating the polity but is also capable of undermining the constitutional status of the judiciary as a hallowed temple of justic and last hope of the common man .”
