By: Valentine Adese (JP) and Paul Naomi,
The case filed by, Hon. Ishaya Itse and Five (5) others, challenging the victory and emergence of, Hon. Rufus Bature, as the Plateau State Chairman in the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been struck out, as the Claimants’ Counsel had filed a Notice of Discontinuance of the matter.
The Plateau State High Court in its ruling today on the matter, while striking out the case held that, since the Counsel has filed the Notice. The Court automatically loses jurisdiction to hear the same matter.
The court said it is not its business to know what happens to Counsel and their clients in their chambers, as in this case.
You would recall that, the court was earlier informed that the notice was filed out of alleged deceit and fraudulent information by the Counsel to the Claimants.
However, while opposing that line of argument, the Counsel to APC and the other 8 Defendants, Garba Pwul (SAN), had submitted that, the Counsel was aware of the settlement reached by the parties in the matter and that it was his failure not to have sought for the consent of the other claimants before filing the Notice.
Adding that, “If there was any fraud in the process, it was the Counsel, who had committed the fraud, as the Affidavit of the other 5 Claimants point to the fact that, he (Counsel) was on their neck to come and sign the agreement. He cannot at this point claim not to be aware of these none consent”.
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