House of Reps seeks NASS intervention in Plateau assembly crisis to ensure equity

• Wase however regretted that some of the new members were selected and sworn-in by the Speaker, while the others were left out.
• He added that some members-elect of the assembly were compelled to submit letters of resignation by the Speaker, with accompanying Court Affidavit.

The House of Representatives has called on the National Assembly’s leadership to step in and resolve the crisis plaguing the Plateau State House of Assembly.

Specifically, they are urging the National Assembly to ensure that the remaining members-elect of the Plateau House of Assembly are sworn in, promoting equity, fairness, and justice.

This resolution came after Rep. Ahmed Wase (APC-Plateau) presented a motion during Tuesday’s plenary session in Abuja, which was subsequently adopted by the House.

Wase in the motion said that the Plateau State 2023 Election Tribunal took a decision which resulted in the nullification of Certificates of Return of 16 sitting members of the Plateau assembly.

He said that the tribunal had ordered the issuance of new certificates of return to the new members by the Independent National Electoral appellate

He said that the members-elect of the Plateau house of assembly met all the requirements of the law as contained in Section 94 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 72 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Wase however regretted that some of the new members were selected and sworn-in by the Speaker, while the others were left out.

He added that some members-elect of the assembly were compelled to submit letters of resignation by the Speaker, with accompanying Court Affidavit.

“This move contradicts the principles of fairness and justice that the electoral laws sought to uphold.

“Failure to address the delays or biases in the swearing-in of these new members-elect is a total denial of the voices of other constituencies in Plateau.

“It also undermines commitment to justice, fairness, and the principles of democracy and poses a threat to security in the state,” he said.

Adopting the motion, the House urged the Leadership of the National Assembly to intervene and ensure that the remaining Members-Elect of the Plateau House of Assembly were sworn in.