BREAKING: SUSPENSION OF LGC CHAIRMEN: PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT WITHDRAWS MOTION TO SET ASIDE INTERIM ORDER

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

The Plateau State Government has withdrawn the Motion it filed challenging and to set aside the Interim Order of the Plateau State High Court, granted the suspended 17 Local Government Chairmen in the state, who were alleged suspended from office by Governor Caleb Mutfwang on the advice of the 9^th Plateau State House of Assembly.

The State Government’s Counsel, K. M. Malan (Esq), who moved the Motion for the Application to be struck out by the Plateau State High Court 3, also moved the Motion for the Extension of Time to file the Defendants’ Counter Affidavit.

HON. SHEHU BALA JOS NORTH CHAIRMAN, OTHERS IN COURT

He also further informed the Court that, the Motion on Notice dated 19^th June, 2023, filed by the Claimants and fixed for hearing today, the 23/6/2023, was not ripe for hearing as they need to file their reaction(s) to it, as they are still within time.

He said, “We have 3 Applications pending before the Court. In the order of filing, we have:

1. The Preliminary Objection (PO) dated 16^th June, 2023.
2. We have a Motion to set aside the Interim Order dated, 19^th June, 2023 and,
3. A Motion for the Extension of Time, to file our Counter Motion for the Motion dated 22 June, 2023 filled by the Claimants.
4. Having received on record, we want to withdraw the Motion to set aside the Interim Order and,
5. We apply for it to be struck out.

COUNCILORS IN COURT

However, earlier, Counsel to the Claimants, Pascal (Esq), had informed the Court that, the matter is ripe for hearing, while calling on the Court to take judicial notice of the fact that, the Court’s Interim Order has been disobeyed by the Defendants: the State Governor and the State Attorney General (AG).

The Court, after striking out the Motion to set aside the Interim Order has adjourned the matter to the 22^nd of September, 2023 and after the vacation period to hear all the Applications and Motions in the matter.

ALGON CHAIRMAN PLATEAU STATE

While reacting to the development, and fielding answers to questions from Journalists, the Counsel to the Chairmen and the Chairman of ALGON in the State, called for calm, as they remain Chairmen, with the withdrawal of the Government’s Motion.

MORE TO COME…