From Yakubu Busari,Jos
The embattled Chairmen of local governments in Plateau State Hon.Alex Miskoom Naantum have advised Governor Caleb Mutfwang to eschew politics of bitterness, shun what is capable of causing disaffection amongst the citizens of the state and respect the Friday stay of order obtained from the law court.
Justice Ishaku Kunda of the Plateau State High Court had adjourned to September 22, 2023 to resume hearing on the pending motions and substantive suit filed by the 17 Chairmen challenging their illegal removal and the truncation of three years’ tenure in office.
After securing an order from Justice Ishaku Kunda of the State High Court of Plateau state fort stay of execution served on the governor not to dissolve the LGAs, the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police in the State, Bartholomew Onyeka to express their concern on the matter.
Speaking on the development on Friday, Chairman of Shendam LGA, Hon. Alex Miskoom Naantum, said, “I want us to put our energy together to fight our common enemy’s, not to continue to engage ourselves on what we could best describe as political fight , which is not going to be in the interest of our political setting which we have grown beyond.”
Miskoom decried what he called the negatives image of Plateau outside “as unpleasant reports coming from place of home of peace and tourism to say the least, is not too pleasant and encouraging, that we now engage in attitude of creating chaos with the recent upheaval ravaging communities”
He further pointed out that what was happening now portends danger to “our democracy and as our democracy cannot continue to be nascent, there is need for us to grow because other countries are growing in mathematical progression while we are growing in arithmetic progression, however linked our growth is to that of snail speed.”
Na’antum condemned the sacking of the 17 LGAs and the legislative and appealed to Mutfwang to toe the part of honour and obey the court judgement
He reiterated that as a lawyer with over 30 years of experience at the bar Governor Mutfwang ought to know better.
Alex Miskoom said despite the recent happening in the state where some people refused to follow due process to do what is right, the Chairmen still have abiding faith in the judiciary which was demonstrated in the court ruling of June 22, 2023.
” The state government and his agents continue to break the law, it’s the court that will speak in the appropriate time But as its right now ,we still remain the occupants of our respective Offices.
“We will continued as legitimate occupants of the office of Chairman in our various LG “.
They appealed to their supporters of to remain calm and maintain peace ” because the state still has enough problems on ground already with sporadic killings.
