Plateau speaker swears in remaining APC members

The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Dewan, has sworn in the remaining five members of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC). The new legislators – Owen Dagogot (Qua’an-Pan North constituency), Theodore Maiyaki (Qua’an-Pan South constituency), Yakubu Sanda (Pengana constituency), Dachung Dadon (Riyom constituency), and Dalyop Gyang (Shendam South constituency) – […]

The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Dewan, has sworn in the remaining five members of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC).

The new legislators – Owen Dagogot (Qua’an-Pan North constituency), Theodore Maiyaki (Qua’an-Pan South constituency), Yakubu Sanda (Pengana constituency), Dachung Dadon (Riyom constituency), and Dalyop Gyang (Shendam South constituency) – were sworn in during plenary on Wednesday at the old government house.

The sworn-in legislators were among the 15 APC and one Labour Party lawmakers who were declared winners by the Appeal Court in November last year. On April 5, the speaker swore in nine after they reportedly signed undated resignation letters. However, the remaining seven lawmakers-elect alleged that they were not sworn in because of their refusal to sign the letters. Two of them were, however, sworn in separately last week.

Following several months of agitation by the members, former governor Simon Lalong and other members of the party talked tough against the speaker’s refusal to swear in their members, accusing him of acting the script of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, an allegation that the state government denied.

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Reacting to the development, the acting spokesman of the APC in the state, Shittu Bamaiyi, said the speaker had already deprived the constituencies of the affected members of their constitutional right to be represented for almost eight months.

“Be that as it may, with the swearing-in today (Wednesday) of the remaining members, it is now a full House, with all the compliments of a legislature. The APC and its esteemed supporters are proud to present this calibre of legislators and as such, expect quality, robust as well as valuable deliberations in the now new, improved House,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that the 24-member House is now made up of 22 members from the APC, one from the Labour Party and the Speaker from the Young People’s Party (YPP).