Plateau Women Turn Out In Black To Protest Contradictory Appeal Court Judgments (Pictures)

Women from the 17 local government areas of Plateau State again converged on major streets of Jos, the Plateau state capital on Wednesday in a peaceful protest demanding that the National Judicial Council (NJC) review the Court of Appeal judgments that affect lawmakers from the state.

The women vehemently opposed the court of Appeal judgements which sacked  lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party from the state.

It was reported that all the seven National Assembly members elected on the platform of the PDP in Plateau state including the Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon have had their elections nullified by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on the ground that their party, the PDP which nominated them had no structure in the state .

Wednesday’s protests  is the fifth in the series of protests by different  aggrieved groups including pro-democracy groups in the state.

The latest  protesters  under the aegies of “Plateau  Women” erupted as on the streets of Jos as women in black attire and green leaves came out chanting anti-judiciary songs, saying the Court of Appeal cannot enlarge its jurisdiction to entertain pre-election matters.

The aggrieved women rejected the   Appeal Court’s judgements while calling on the National Judicial Council and other authorities to intervene in the situation and restore the mandate of the people freely given to the PDP lawmakers in the interest of peace and survival of democracy in the state.

Leaders  of the aggrieved  women including Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, Mrs. Martina Dakur among other took turns to address the protesters who later gathered at the popular Secretariat Junction Roundabout in Jos.

Dakur said “Plateau women are here and we want to express our solidarity with our Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang and we want to tell the world that we are not happy with what is happening in Plateau.

“We want to show our displeasure over all the court judgements that have been delivered concerning Plateau so far. You can see Plateau women all over here.We are weeping and crying and when you see women weeping like this,you know that there is trouble in the land .We are the mothers of the land and we are crying because we have given our mandate and then ,our mandate are being stolen.”

Another Leader , Sarah Ochekpe  said only justice by the courts in the matter will assuage the people.

“The issue they are relying on to sack the elected members are pre-election matter and the position of the Supreme court is very clear on that. Why is the case of Plateau different ?But the court of Appeal in her wisdom said is a pre-election matter and the law is clear on that but when it comes to plateau it will become both pre-election and post ele-election matter. So what are they telling us or is plateau state not in Nigeria.

” The whole thing is so disheartening that it  is causing serious tension in the state as the mandate of the people are being stolen by the court of Appeal which is not suppose to be so.  The Judiciary which is suppose to be the hope of the common man where the common man have hope is now becoming some thing else.

 “The relevant authorities and those who want to steal power through the back door should have a rethink as plateau people voted for who they want and don’t want a leader that will be imposed on them. We stand with the Lawmakers and we want  the judiciary to do justice and not injustice.

Another leader, Kaneg Pam who demanded for Justice called on National Judicial Council to intervene in the situation and ensure that the mandate of Plateau was not stolen and given to those who do no have the mandate of the people to represent them in elective positions

Also  Hajiya Sa’adatu Hwatai who spoke on behalf of Muslim women said they as Muslims had  never gotten it this good in the state  as what governor Mutfwang is doing by empowering women and developing the state including road construction.

” Plateau state is enjoying relative peace as his administration carried every body along, so much development and youths empowerment. We don’t want anything to happen to him because the people voted form him as the leader of the state .We want the court to do justice and respect the will of the people ” she stated.

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