APC challenges Plateau council polls

The party is contesting the validity of the laws used by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission, PLASIEC, in arriving at the election date.

A Jos High Court on Thursday fixed January 17 to hear a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop the Plateau Local Government election scheduled for January 30.

The party is contesting the validity of the laws used by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission, PLASIEC, in arriving at the election date.

Justice Surajo Mohammed adjourned the case after hearing the motion by the party for an interlocutory injunction to restrain the electoral commission from conducting the election.

The counsel to APC, Badamasi-Kabir Adam, had approached the court via an interlocutory injunction to ask for stoppage of the polls.

Mr. Adam told the court that PLASIEC relied on two wrong laws to arrive at the date for the election.

He urged the court to stop all activities related to the conduct of the election pending the determination of the case.

The Plateau State House of Assembly, Attorney General of Plateau State, and PLASIEC are defendants in the suit.

In an originating summons, the APC is seeking the court’s interpretation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2010 and the Plateau State Electoral Law 2011 as related to the polls.

Also, the party wants the court to declare the Plateau Electoral Law 2011 as the only law known in the state for the regulation and conduct of local government elections.

It pointed out that some of the provisions of the Plateau Electoral Law were inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution and to that extent null and void.

It also sought an order of the court to restrain PLASIEC from implementing the provisions of the law.

The APC further called for an order to compel the Plateau House of Assembly to amend the “offensive” provisions of the law.

(NAN)