Forum of Former Youth Leaders Protests Appeal Court's Decision to Remove Plateau Federal Lawmakers

In a recent turn of events, the Court of Appeal made a controversial decision to remove three federal lawmakers from Plateau State. This ruling has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from the Forum of Former Youth Leaders in Plateau State, who vehemently oppose the verdict.

The affected lawmakers are Senator Simon Mwadkon, who represented Plateau North, Hon. Isaac Kwalu, the representative of Mikang, Shendam, and Qua’pan federal constituencies, and Hon. Musa Agha, who served the Bassa and Jos North federal constituencies. According to the Appeal Court's judgment, their removal stems from a perceived lack of political structure within their respective constituencies.

The leader of the Forum, Comrade Ibrahim Yakubu, expressed deep concern over the decision. He emphasized that these three federal lawmakers had secured their positions through overwhelming support from their constituents. Thus, the abrupt dismissal without a clear and convincing reason raises questions about the validity of the court's ruling.

"Senator Mwadkon of Plateau North, Isaac Kwalu representing Mikang, Shendam, and Qua’pan federal constituencies, and Musa Agha of Bassa and Jos North were duly elected and represent the choice of their people, and nothing should deny them their rights," Yakubu asserted.

The crux of the contentious issues leading to the court's decision lies in the eligibility of the political party leadership to nominate these lawmakers as candidates. This issue has been a subject of intense debate, with the Forum arguing that the party had already addressed it internally.

Given this internal resolution, the Forum contends that the Appeal Court's ruling should not adversely affect the members of the national assembly. They view the matter as an internal party dispute that has been appropriately dealt with.

"The suit under reference was instituted by members of the PDP, isn’t it? That’s because it is an internal affair of the party. Now, doesn’t it flow and follow that if anybody is aggrieved by the nomination of candidates by the party without re-conducting the state congresses, it should be the members of the party? But here we are having elections nullified because of nomination issues put forward by the APC," the group declared.

This turn of events has ignited a broader conversation about the intricacies of party politics and the potential ramifications of legal decisions on democratic representation. As the controversy continues to unfold, Plateau State and the nation at large are closely watching to see how this situation will ultimately be resolved.

In the midst of these developments, one thing remains clear: the Forum of Former Youth Leaders in Plateau State is resolute in their stance against the Appeal Court's ruling, and they are determined to ensure that the voices and choices of the constituents are duly respected and protected.