The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday alleged that Plateau governor Simon Lalong’s “sudden” declaration of Friday, Oct. 8, as public holiday ahead of Saturday local government polls, was to thwart the course of justice.
It particularly declared that the public holiday was targeted at stopping the hearing of its appeal, at the Jos Appeal Court, against the judgement of a High Court barring it (PDP) from participating in the election.
Mr Edward Pwajok (SAN), Counsel to PDP, stated the party’s position in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Mangu, on Thursday.
PDP had, on Sept. 29, lost a case it filed against the Plateau State Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), challenging the Party’s exclusion from the Oct. polls.
Justice Ishaku Kunda of a Jos High Court, in his judgement, upheld PLASIEC’s decision to bar the PDP from participating in the polls.
Dissatisfied, the party went to the appellate court which fixed Oct. 8 for the hearing of the case.
The PDP, which had urged its members to remain calm, was anxiously waiting for the appellate court on Friday when Lalong declared the day a public holiday, knocking off any sitting on the fixed date.
He had claimed, in a broadcast, that the aim was to allow civil servants to travel to their communities to vote.
But Pwajok told NAN that “the whole idea of the public holiday is to stop the Court of Appeal from sitting to hear our motion of our appeal against the judgement given by the lower Court in favour of PLASIEC.”
But Chief Garba Pwul, Counsel to PLASIEC, described Lalong’s declaration of Friday as public holiday for the election as “very normal”.
“It is the right step taken for a congent reason.
“I am surprised that PDP is giving the whole thing a colouration. After all, this is not the first time government is declaring a public holiday in respect of elections.
Pwul argued that the civil servants deserved to be given the chance and opportunity to travel to their respective communities in order to take part in the elections.
Mr Dan Manjang, information commissioner, who also spoke with NAN, dismissed allegations of ulterior motives behind government’s declaration of Friday, Oct. 8, as public holiday on the eve of the council election.
“Governor Lalong’s declaration has nothing to do with PDP’s case against PLASIEC.
“It is purely a respite to the civil servants to enable them participate in the local council elections, period,” Manjang explained. (NAN)
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