Security beefed up at Plateau assembly complex

Operatives of the Plateau State Police Command have cordoned off the road leading to the state House of Assembly complex within the Jos metropolis.

The spokesman for the command, Alabo Alfred, while confirming the development on Tuesday, said it was meant to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

Asked whether the road barricade leading to the state assembly and the deployment of personnel to the assembly complex was in connection with the unresolved dispute involving the sacked 16 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, the police spokesman simply said: “Just wait. I will soon release a press statement concerning what is happening.”

Allnews.ng reports that at the gate of the assembly complex located along John Samci Road, supporters of both the sacked 16 PDP lawmakers and the APC lawmakers who were yet to be sworn in following the Court of Appeal judgment besieged the area.

A PDP supporter named Mathew Danladi told reporters that they were at the assembly complex following information that the APC members yet to be sworn in are trying to impeach the Speaker.

Danladi said: “We have been here since last night till this Tuesday morning because we learnt that the APC members who were yet to be sworn in as state lawmakers following the controversial court of appeal judgment want to enter the state Assembly and impeach the Speaker.

“After that, they will go ahead to impeach the governor but we will not allow that. They want to take the law into their hands, if not why should they not wait for the final outcome of the issues because the 16 PDP lawmakers who were unjustly removed by the court of appeal are presently in court over the matter?

“I think the APC in Plateau State does not want peace because they are aware of the Supreme Court’s judgment over the matter.

“Instead of joining hands with the Governor Caleb Mutfwang-led administration to move the state forward, they are busy trying to cause confusion where there is none. But we will not allow them to achieve their aim.”

Speaking, however, a supporter of the APC, Barnas Dalyop, insisted that the action of the Speaker not to swear in the APC members after the court of appeal declared them winners was acceptable.

Dalyop said: “The court of appeal is the highest in election petitions involving state and national Assembly. The court has ruled in favour of the APC members as the legitimate persons to represent their various constituencies, so why is the Speaker refusing to obey the ruling of the court ?”