PLATEAU: Muslim Community Calls For Review Of A/Court Verdicts, Urges Judiciary To Stop Determining Election Winners

By: Oliver Kum, November 10, 2023

Mallam Ahmed Yaro, addressing journalists in Jos on conflicting judgments delivered by the Appeal Court leading to the sacking of Plateau lawmakers from the National Assembly

Muslims in Jos on Thursday added their voice in urging the judiciary to desist from determining winners of elections.

Addressing journalists in Jos, Abdulkarim Ahmed Yaro, Secretary of Hausa/Fulani in Plateau State expressed disenchantment over the decision of Appeal Court leading to the sacking of Plateau lawmakers from the National Assembly over cases, the same Appeal Court had considered as pre-election matters involving lawmakers from other states.

"We have gathered here to express our displeasure with the recent decision by the Appeal Court Abuja that robbed us of our mandate.

"We know similar issue involving other states have been considered as pre-election matter but why is Plateau case different?

"It is for this reason that the Muslim community from different Wards (Abba Na Shehu, Ali Kazaure, Gangare etc) came out this morning in mass to show our displeasure and to add our voice to that of other people from other parts of Plateau in calling on the Appeal Court to desist from determining winners of election for the people.

"We are calling on the Appeal Court to do the needful in line with the law.

"We all know the ground upon which the election of Plateau lawmakers are being challenged is a pre-election matter just like that of Southern Borno and Omowon Odofin Federal constituencies in which the Appeal Court considered pre-election matters, so why is Plateau case treated differently? We want Justice done", Ahmed Yaro said.

Answering a question on what he meant by saying "Justice should be done" over an Appeal Court decision that cannot be further challenged and what will the group do in the event their demand was not met, Yaro said the Appeal Court should follow the law and abide by the decisions of the Supreme Court in considering subsequent Appeals involving house of assembly members while a judicial of inquiry be set up to review the previous judgments by the Appeal Court involving national assembly members from Plateau State.

DEAL 25% off
Amazon Essentials Women's Apparel

"The people of Plateau came out in mass and voted the PDP in the general elections. This is envident in the gap between the votes scored by the PDP and other political parties.

"This is the essence of democracy and it will be wrong for a court to truncate or upturned the will of the people.

"It is for this reason that we are calling on the Appeal Court to do the needful otherwise we would have no option than to believe that the Appeal Court has compromised.

"We also want to remind the Appeal Court judges that God is watching all of us and we would appear before Him one day and give account of ourselves", Ahmed Yaro said.

Also speaking, Libabatu Ali, a woman leader equally decried the way and manner election of Plateau lawmakers are being upturned. "We voted the PDP massively during the general elections but our votes are being upturned by the Appeal Court on technical ground and we are not happy.

"We are also aware that some people have been spreading lies that Governor Caleb Mutfwang does not like Muslims and I want to tell you that this is lies from pit of hell.

Lisabatu Ali woman leader in Jos North speaking to Journalists and calling on the Appeal Court to desist from determining winners of election for Plateau people

"We voted Caleb Mutfwang and is keeping to the promises he made. We in Muslim community in Jos North never had it so good with any administration within the first five months of its existence like the administration of Barr. Caleb Mutfwang.

"He is performing excellently, he is doing it for us. He has appointed one of us a commissioner in his cabinet in addition to other appointments.

"He has embarked on road rehabilitation in our community that have been neglected for years. What else do we want? And bear in mind that he is just five months plus as governor.

"We are calling on the Court of Appeal to stop deciding who to be our leaders. We have enjoyed relative peace on the Plateau and we should maintain it and not triggered what would truncate it", Libabatu Ali said.

BUY CHEAP GOOD USED CARS FROM TCV