Thirteen lawmakers, including a deceased member, have filed an appeal challenging the Monday reinstatement of Abok Ayuba as the Plateau House of Assembly speaker.

Plateau High Court sitting in Jos on Monday, reinstated Mr Ayuba as the assembly’s speaker. The assembly impeached Mr Ayuba on October 28, 2021.

He had challenged his impeachment, which he described as illegal, as it contravened the assembly rules.

Justice Nefisa Musa found merit in Mr Ayuba’s appeal in a judgement delivered on Monday and granted the plaintiff’s prayers.

Mr Ayuba, on Tuesday, resumed office and presided over the house plenary.

Miffed by Mr Ayuba’s reinstatement, the lawmakers, including the deceased colleague, filed an appeal against the High Court judgement on Tuesday.

Late Eric Dakagol, who represented Qua’an Pan State Constituency, died on November 22, 2022, but was named among the appellants.

In the appeal, the lawmakers said the judge erred in law when he entertained Mr Ayuba’s suit and entered judgement in his favour.

They said the suit was “incompetent, which robbed the trial court of jurisdiction to entertain same”.

They also claimed that the judge erred in law when he refused to entertain the notice of preliminary objection filed by the defendants.

“We are seeking an order setting aside the judgement. We want the case back to the High Court of Justice of Plateau for retrial by another judge.

“We also want such other order(s) as the Court may deem fit to make,” they prayed. 

Shortly after the judgement, the House Committee on Information chairman, Daniel Nanlong, said the house was unaware of the court’s ruling.

(NAN)