The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang has acted on the call by the Plateau State House of Assembly, to suspend the 17 Local Government Chairmen in the State.
The Governor in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Gyang Bere on Friday, said in receipt of the recommendation by the Assembly members, the 17 LGA Chairmen are relieved of their duties and to handover all government properties.
Recall that the Plateau State House of Assembly on Monday during plenary, recommended the suspension of Local Government chairmen and councillors in the 17 Local Government Areas over financial misconduct.
The suspension was the outcome of the notice of motion in which the House asked Governor Caleb Mutfwang to suspend all political structures at the local government level pending the conclusion of investigations into petitions bordering on financial impropriety by the chairmen.
The legislature had observed that all efforts to perform its constitutional obligations of oversight function on the local government were frustrated by the chairmen who refused to honour the House invitation to clarify the various financial misappropriation allegations.
However in an interview with the Majority Leader, Plateau State House of Assembly, of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon. Daniel Naanlong, representing Mikang constituency, on Thursday after the Appeal Court ruling to maintain status quo on the controversial Speakership tussle between Hon. Abok Ayuba and Hon. Yakubu Sanda leading to the closure of the Assembly, Naanlong said that everything done in the House on Monday was illegal.
Recall that the Jos division of the court of Appeal had adjourned the matter between Abok and Sanda till 8th of June 2023.
Responding to the Judgement however, Naanlong said that since the court has reaffirmed the closure of the Assembly, every decision that was taken last Monday during plenary remains illegal as Yakubu Sanda still remains the authentic speaker of the House.
He said Abok does not have the right to preside over sitting pending the determination of the case before the Appeal Court.
“You cannot build illegality on illegality”, Naanlong said.