A former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Istifanus Mawnsat, has asked the judiciary to serve justice to the members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and the National Assembly who were unjustly removed from their seats by the Court of Appeal.
Speaking in an interview following the judgement of the Supreme Court that faulted the Court of Appeal’s judgement, Mr Mawnsat said it was incumbent on the judiciary to give justice to the expelled lawmakers given the pronouncement of the Supreme Court that a great act of injustice had been done them.
He said:
“Given the doctrine that where there is injustice, there should be a remedy, I think that the ultimate thing that those who were unjustly removed need to do is to confirm from the courts what is the remedy for the injustice meted on them.
“The injustice meted out on them at the lower courts is not our statement, it is the statement of the Supreme court because going by the letters and statement and wordings of Justice Okoro he did agree that his worry, regret and concern is that for those who were unjustly relieved of their positions by the miscarriage of justice at the lower courts.
“It is a confirmation that there was injustice. The bench and the bar ultimately desire to give justice.
“Since it has been established that there was injustice at the lower courts, in this case, in the appeal court, the question is what is the remedy?
“Because when you don’t have a remedy for an injustice it means that justice has not been served.”
Noting the irony of people who were rejected in the polls taking over as representatives of the people in the legislature, he said:
“The Senatorial Election in the Southern Zone, PDP won in five local governments, APC won in one. There are 33 electoral wards, PDP won in 32, APC won in one. So, what is the moral justification for a person who won in one out of 33 wards to come and stand before you as somebody representing you. The question people will ask is who are you?”
