Plateau
State Governor, Simon Lalong, has lost an appeal filed against 271 elected
Councillors he sacked in July 2015, before the Court of Appeal sitting in Jos.
It
would be recalled that the sacked Councillors, through their Counsel, Gyang Zi,
had taken Governor Lalong, the State Attorney General and the State House of
Assembly to Court for their removal from office.
They
described their removal as “illegal and unconstitutional’’.
The
case against the trio was filed before Justice David Mann of the State High ourt
III.
But the
Governor challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter and
its decision to take the Councillors’ preliminary objection along with the
substantive case.
However,
Lalong failed in the suit and quickly appealed against the ruling.
The
appellants, through their Counsel, Victor Paul, had prayed the appellate Court
to set aside the decision of the lower court.
Paul
also sought an order that the preliminary objection of his clients should be
heard first before the substantive suit.
But the
appellate court, presided by Justices, A.G. Mshelia (lead Judge), A.H. Abiru
and E.O. Williams, faulted the objection of the decision of the lower court by
Lalong and others.
While
upholding the decision of the lower court, the appellate court said “there is
no problem with the lower court hearing both the substantive and the
preliminary objection at the same time’’.
The
judges said the appeal lacked merit and as such, dismissed it forthwith.
Speaking
with journalists shortly after the judgment, Counsel to the Councillors, Gyang
Zi said the decision was, “very satisfactory’’ as it has gone to show that
there was hope for the common man.
Zi
said, “We are happy that the appellate court saw reasons with the decision of
the lower court and upheld it by dismissing the appeal of Governor Lalong”.
He
maintained that his clients would go back to the High Court to continue in
pursuance of their rights, having been wrongfully sacked by the state
government.
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