Again, embattled Plateau LGA chair, Ubandoma wins at Appeal Court

By Kingsley Chukwuka

Court of appeal Jos division has dismissed the suit filed by Plateau State Government and Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), seeking the court to end the tenure of Joshua Laven Ubandoma as Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council.

Ubandoma approached the State High Court Jos, in 2021 when Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) declared his seat vacant during the October 2021 local government election in the State, telling the Court that his tenure had not expired.

But PLASIEC and Plateau State Government declared the seat vacant and conducted election in October, 2021 where an APC aspirant, Barr. Zulfa Rimdan was elected as the Council Chairman.

Delivering the Judgement on Friday in Jos, Hon. Justice, Ibrahim Ali Andenyangtso of the Appeal Court upheld the Judgement of the lower court that the tenure of Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma has not expired.

He directed that the Council Chairman, Ubandoma be return to office to complete his one year tenure.

Justice Andenyangtso in a separate judgement dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to squashed the October 2021 Local Government Election conducted by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) for excluding the party.

He said the suit was dismissed for lack of merit and upheld that the exclusion of the PDP during the 2021 council election was in accordance with the law.

Ubandoma who reacted to the Judgement described it as a victory for democracy.

He said, “I want to thank God for the Judiciary for upholding the rule of law for sustaining democracy. I commend the judges for standing in to save our democracy, the Judgement is a victory for democracy, a victory for the downtrodden and a victory against those who want to oppress the masses.

“Today’s judgement is a victory for the masses and the people of Langtang North. I therefore expect compliance from our Governor who is also a Lawyer, I have been patient and I will not take law into my hand.

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“A declarative Judgement was delivered by Justice Ishaku Kunda of the State High Court, declaring that my tenure will expire in October, 2022 but I am not in office at the moment because I was denied access.

“Today, the Appeal Court has upheld the Judgement of the lower court and I expect the Governor and PLASIEC to comply for the sake of the rule of law and sustain our democracy.”

However, the Council to PLASIEC, Nantok Dashur said, “First, on the judgement between PDP and PLASIEC; the Judge of the High Court was affirmed by the Court of Appeal because PDP was challenging PLASIEC for excluding the party from the Council election that took place in 2021.

The Council to PLASIEC, Nantok Dashur said, “First, on the judgement between PDP and PLASIEC; the Judge of the High Court was affirmed by the Court of Appeal because PDP was challenging PLASIEC for excluding the party form the Council election that took place in 2021.

“The appeal by PDP was dismissed, which means that the Court of Appeal saw that the judgement of the High Court was sound and correct.

“The second Judgement was an appeal filed by PLASIEC and Plateau State Government against the judgement of Plateau State High Court which agreed with Joshua Ubandoma that his tenure had not expired as of the time the Local Government Election was conducted.

“The Court dismissed the appeal of PLASIEC and the State Government and upheld the Judgement of the State High Court that the tenure of Ubandoma has not expired.”

He said the Counsel will study the judgement and take appropriate action.