The former Secretary to the Plateau Government, presently the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Honourable Rufus Bature, speaks with ISAAC SHOBAYO about the political imbroglio over the non-swearing-in of the 16 members of the APC affirmed by the Court of Appeal by the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and the non-representation of Plateau in the Federal Executive Council, among other issues.
WHAT is your assessment of the present political situation in Plateau State over the non swearing-in of 16 APC members by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Dewan?
The journey so far in Plateau has been rough. We know how parties have won in various zones, and by 2023, when the elections were held, the APC was able to get seven members out of the 24, the PDP had 16 and the YPP had one. But by the time the process reached the Appeal Court, the APC was able to get 16 seats, and the Labour Party had one. Two days before the Appeal Court judgment, the PDP knew what was going to befall them at the Appeal Court and decided to clandestinely move the State House of Assembly from its present place to the Government House in the guise that they were renovating the House of Assembly. All the principal officers resigned, and the YPP member was elected as the Speaker. That decision was taken in the absence of the APC members; even if they were there, the PDP would still do what they had done because they were in the majority. Before they could settle down, the Speaker adjourned the sitting to the 23rd of January. All this while, the APC members have been trying to meet with the Speaker so that they can understand themselves, but it took time before they were able to meet the Speaker, that is, before the 23rd, when they are supposed to have their resumes. Prior to that time, the 16 PDP members went to the court for an injunction to restrain the speaker from swearing in the APC members, but they were unable to get an injunction. What the speaker had with him was a notice of notification that they were in court. So the PDP members who had been sacked by the appeal trooped to the Governent House where the eight members had been sitting, so that has been the cat and mouse game that has been going on all these while. There is one case that is still pending at the Federal High Court, and with that, they still went to the Court of Appeal; that was where they met their waterloo. Democracy is about the rule of law; the hallmark of democracy is the legislature. Without legislators, it is like the military regime, because anytime the military strikes, the first thing they go for is the legislature. Thus, this arms is very important because it is the arms that does the checking and balancing. However, in Plateau today, a legislative arm is not there; the eight members that were supposed to sit have not sat since they were inaugurated. All of us know what is happening in Plateau State with crises here and there; in the twenty-four constituencies, nobody is speaking for them. It is so sad that I cannot imagine why the Speaker cannot swear in the 16 APC members. The election itself is a product of the law; if the constitution and Electoral Act were not there, there wouldn’t be any need for an election. And if the Constitution says governatorial election petition terminates at the Supreme Court, there is nothing anyone can do about it. That is why Governor Caleb Muftwang was one of the beneficiaries. I see no reason why the Governor cannot speak with the Speaker to swear in the other 16 members of the House. There is this unknown, palpable fear that the 16 APC members, if they come on board, are going to impeach the governor. Nobody is interested in removing anybody, as far as the APC is concerned. We have accepted our faith. Barrister Muftwang is the governor of Plateau State. All we can do is help him govern the state. Unfortunately, he has come at a time in the history of Plateau State where almost six parties are represented in the State Assembly; you hardly find this in any other state in the country. God has created this opportunity for him to unite the people of Plateau State using all these parties that are in government today.
As a former state lawmaker and Secretary to the State Government, what are the implications of this for the governance of the state?
Honestly, this logjam is affecting governance; most of the actions the executive takes emanate from the constituencies and complaints of constituents, and for now nobody is talking for them. This is a presidential system where the aggregate voices of members are what the executive wants to listen to and tailor their policies to; unfortunately, this is not what is happening in the Plateau; it is what the executive decides that is being done without questioning or interrogation from the House of Assembly. Do we have a unitary government in a state because there are checks and balances and no oversight functions? Nobody is checking them to ensure that the budget that is passed is being implemented according to what is provided. It is very unfortunate in view of the fragile peace in the state. Let me say one thing: when you see people begin to commit crimes here and there, it is because they see others also doing it. If you are a leader and you are not living according to the provisions or laws guiding your operation, your citizens will also copy your method of operation. As leaders, we should be living by example.
The impression in the public domain is that as soon as the 16 APC lawmakers are sworn in they would see the ball rolling for the impeachment of the governor. How are you going to alley the fear or dispel this insinuation?
All we are asking for is for our members to be sworn in respect to the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Are they making a ridicule of the National Assembly? The National Assembly has since complied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal; why is that of Plateau State different? Are we saying that the National Assembly has done the wrong thing? For peace to reign in Plateau, we have restrained our members. We have accepted our faith that the governorship should be given to the PDP in respect to the pronouncements of the Supreme Court. The Apex Court says they are infallible and final, and in the case of the National and State Assembly, the Court of Appeal is also infallible and final because that is the provision of the Constitution and the Electoral Act. I have just been informed that the PDP has gone to the Supreme Court. I don’t know whether the Constitution and Electoral Act have been amended. I am not a lawyer, but all I know is that the case was terminated at the Appeal Court, and the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction over electoral matters involving the State and National Assembly.
In the course of the week, there was an allegation that members of your party wanted to break into the State House of Assembly for possible swearing of the 16 APC members, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal. What is your party doing to prevent a breakdown of law and order?
Our members, with the understanding that the Speaker has been giving a letter that 16 APC lawmakers are ready to resume, went to the House, but the impression that was created was that APC members wanted to break into the House. We cannot do that because we are law abiding.
So what is your advice to the Speaker of the House in this situation?
My candid advice to him is to call for the sitting of the eight members and swear in the 16 APC members. The governor had already inaugurated the Assembly; the issue at stake now is a matter of swearing, which is the responsibility of the Speaker.
Why is it difficult for the Speaker to swear in the 16 members?
The young man is feasting on the premise that the PDP has a case; this is the shenanigan that is being played around to buy time. The Constitution says the House of Assembly shall, sit for not less than 182 days; if they don’t, the House will cease to exist. So from the fillers we gathered, some people are advising the Speaker that he should not swear in these members so that when they are not able to sit for 182 days, the House will cease to exist and a new election will be conducted. This is one of the game plans on the ground. There is also the fear that they are going to return the sacked APC local governments Chairmen.
In case the Speaker did not swear in your members, what do you intend to do?
We might be forced to approach the court again because this is contempt of court.
Plateau is the only state in the federation at the moment that has no representation at the Federal Executive Council. Since Senator Simon Lalong resigned to take up a seat in the Senate, there has been no replacement. Are you not disturbed?
We are disturbed; we have made several appeals, and we don’t understand why Mr. President has not appointed a minister from Plateau State. It is a constitutional provision that each state must have a minister. So we are still appealing to the President in this regard to ensure that Plateau is represented at the Federal Executive Council.
But the information out there is that the President is unable to appoint a minister from Plateau because of an internal squabble among some stalwarts of the party over who should pick the slot.
That not withstanding, the president has the exclusive right to nominate anybody as a minister without consulting. It is just courtesy that sometimes they consult, but it is the exclusive preserve of the president to nominate whoever he wants to be minister. So my final appeal over the State Assembly issue is to let good news come out of Plateau State; we have suffered a lot.
