LANGTANG NORTH LGC SIEGE: PLATEAU CP IN TROUBLE, AS COALITION PETITIONS IGP USMAN ALKALI, GIVES 7 DAYS ULTIMATUM

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

Some registered groups within the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have petitioned the Nigerian Inspector General of Police (IGP), to call the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka to order.

The 120 groups, who signed the petition addressed to the IGP, have also demanded that, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Onyeka, should, be prevailed upon by his office, to obey the rule of law with respect to the issue concerning the Chairmanship of Langtang North Local Government Council.

The petition, as sighted by REALITY, signed by one Makshwar Haruna Kurmtok, as Chairman of the Coalition, and dated, 25^th November, 2021, addressed to the IGP, and copied to the AIG of Police (Operations), the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the National Judicial Council (NJC), Falana’s Chamber, the Nigerian Senate, the Nigerian House of Representatives, the Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS), the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network, PDP National Chairman and the Plateau State PDP Chairman, also has among its demands, a Seven (7) days ultimatum for the Council Chairman, Hon. Laven Joshua Unabdoma, to be allowed to take over his office.

THE PETITION

The Demands in part reads:

1. The Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka should withdraw the police from the Secretariat who are stopping Hon. Dr. Laven Ubandoma Joshua from working and provide security for him to work as ordered by the Court immediately.
2. The Commissioner of Police should be called to order and allow the rule of law to prevail.
3. The Council Chairman Hon. Laven Joshua Ubandoma within seven (7) days should be allowed to take over his office and perform his constitutional function as the office cannot remain vacant.
4. We shall protest with over thousands of our supporters and Jos is fragile if and only if impunity is allowed to reign
5. If our request is not made within seven days, we shall sue the Nigeria Police Force for act capable of deriding the rule of law and democracy.

According to the petitioners, the reason(s) for writing the IGP is because, “We know our IG is a man of impeccable character and we do not want to take the laws into our hands because, we know that you will preserve the rule of law in your time, as the Inspection-General of Police and posterity will remember you”.

READ THE FULL PETITION BELOW:-

COALITION OF PDP SUPPORT GROUPS

PLATEAU STATE CHAPTER, No. 20/22 YAKUBU GOWON WAY, OPP NTA, JOS.

25th November, 2021.

Mr. Usman Alkali,

Inspection-General of Police,

Nigeria Police Force,

Lois Edet House,

Shehu Shagari Way,

Area 11 Garki, Abuja

CONSPIRACY BETWEEN PLATEAU STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT TO BAR LANGTANG NORTH LOCAL CHAIRMAN FROM GAINING ACCESS TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL SECRETARIAT.

The Coalition of PDP Groups’ in Plateau State comprise of 120 different registered groups with the State Party Secretariat at No 20/22 Yakubu Gowon Way, Jos, have signed this petition.

2018 LGC ELECTION

The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) Conducted Local Government Election in Plateau State on the 9th October, 2018 during the election, Hon. Laven Joshua Ubandoma of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won but one Nanloh Kparnim of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner at the elections conducted on 10th October, 2018.

Hon. Dr. Laven Joshua Ubandoma pursued his mandate at the Plateau State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal which dismissed his petition.

However, Hon. Dr. Laven Joshau Ubandoma appealed to the Plateau State Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal which set aside the judgment of the Plateau State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal and declared Hon. Dr. Laven Joshua Ubandoma as the Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council in a judgment delivered on 19th July, 2019.

The Governor of Plateau State finally swore our Client into office as Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council on 9th October, 2021 for a term of three years as provided for under section 38 (1) and (3) of the Plateau State Local Government Council Law, 2016.

The Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong finally swore Hon. Dr. Laven Ubandoma into office on the 9thOctober, 2019 to serve as the Council Chairman of Langtang North for three (3) years as provided for under section 38 (1) and (3) of the Plateau State Local Government Council Law, 2016 but to our greatest dismay, after two years in office, Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) conducted a kangaroo election for the office of Chairman of Langtang North LGC on 9th October, 2021.

2021 LGC ELECTION AND COURT JUDGEMENT

The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) announced the conduct of Local Government Election at the expiration of their three years in office. The Commission, instead of conducting Election in 16 LGAs they included Langtang North LGA.

As a law-abiding citizen, Hon. Dr. Laven Joshua Ubandoma approached the Plateau State High Court in Jos and he was reinstated through a declaratory judgment as the substantive Chairman of Langtang North LGC to complete his three-year tenure until 9th October, 2022.

The Court nullified any election conducted by PLASIEC when the case was still pending in Court and the office of Hon. Dr. Laven Ubandoma Joshua was not vacant. A motion to the High Court for injunction pending appeal was struck out by the Court but the State Government through the Plateau State Commissioner of Police has barred the Chairman from entering the Secretariat.

(Court judgement and order striking out the motion for injunction pending appeal are attached).

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE INTERFERENCE

On the 8th November, 2021 the Police took over the Council Secretariat of Langtang North under the instruction of the Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka, despite Court judgment.

OUR REQUESTS

1. The Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka should withdraw the police from the Secretariat who are stopping Hon. Dr. Laven Ubandoma Joshua from working and provide security for him to work as ordered by the Court immediately.
2. The Commissioner of Police should be called to order and allow the rule of law to prevail.
3. The Council Chairman Hon. Laven Joshua Ubandoma within seven (7) days should be allowed to take over his office and perform his constitutional function as the office cannot remain vacant.
4. We shall protest with over thousands of our supporters and Jos is fragile if and only if impunity is allowed to reign
5. If our request is not made within seven days, we shall sue the Nigeria Police Force for act capable of deriding the rule of law and democracy.

CONCLUSION

We know our IG is a man of impeccable character and we do not want to take the laws into our hands because we know that you will preserve the rule of law in your time as the Inspection-General of Police and posterity will remember you.

Yours faithfully,

Sunday James

Chairman, Coalition of PDP Support groups

 cc:

1. Nigerian Bar Association.
2. National Judicial Council.
3. Falana Chamber.
4. The Nigerian Senate.
5. Nigerian House of Representatives.
6. Director-General, DSS
7. PDP National Chairman.
8. Plateau State PDP Chairman.