Women in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, today came out in their numbers wearing black coloured clothing in protrst demanding Justice over the Court of Appeal Judgement that sacked all members of the National Assembly elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which they said they overwhelming voted for, adding that their mandate has been stolen and hence are demanding that they want it back.

While addressing the protesting women, former Minister of Water Resources Sarah Ochepe said that the case of plateau has really raised serious concerns as similar cases like that which were entertained in Lagos and other states by the same Court of Appeal had different outcome. According to her the Court ruled by saying the issues raised are a pre-election matters, stressing that in one of the case there was a clear disobedient of a Supreme Court order but “the Court of Appeal in her wisdom said is a pre-election matter and the law is clear on that but when it comes to Plateau it will become both pre-election and post -election matter so what are they telling us or is Plateau State not in Nigeria according to her the whole thing is so disheartening that is causing serious tension in the state as the mandate of the people are being stolen by the court of Appeal which is not suppose to be so”.

According to her the Judiciary which is suppose to be the last hope of the common man where the common ma is now becoming some thing else, she call on the relevant authorities to look into the matter and warned those who want to steal power through the back door to have a rethink as plateau people voted for who they wanted and do not want a leader that will be impose on them.

She reiterated the firm support of majority of Plateau people for Governor Caleb Mutfwang and urged the the judiciary as a whole to do justice not injustice as is being done to the elected leaders of the state.

Also speaking at the protest, the Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Plateau State Mrs Martina Dakur said PDP did their repeated congress 25th September 2021 Bitrus Kaze participated, contested, lost and congratulated Hon Chris Hassan who won and is now the State Chairman of the PDP. According to her, the issue of no structure is false, adding that the case of PDP and APC is a pre-election matter and the supreme court has ruled on that several time even in the case of the Vice President Kashim Shettima where the court ruled that issues of nomination and sponsorship were all pre-election matters. She said that what the Appeal court is doing is trying to set the state ablaze or throw that state into another crisis, that is why as women they have came out to say enough is a enough and plateau people shouldn’t be taken for granted and plateau state shouldn’t be a testing ground for crisis as the state is enjoying relative peace, hence another political outburst that will lead to the loss of lives and property must be avoided.

According to her, what is happening is the manifestation of the selfish interests of a few persons want to tear the state apart, stressing that as power come from God who allows his people to choose through the legal way, which is through the ballot and the people of Plateau State have chosen the PDP which is evident in the overwhelming votes and landslide margins the candidates of the PDP won by, not through the back door as the APC are trying to do using the Appeal Court.

Representative of the Muslim Women, Hajiya Sa’adatu Hwatai said they as Muslims they have never gotten it this good, stressing that what Governor Mutfwang is doing by empowering women and rehabilitating roads everywhere, the state is enjoying relative peace, adding that his administration has carried every body along. She noted that there is so much development and youths empowerment adding that their children are enjoying scholarships both home and abroad. She also said that all they want in government is what Governor Caleb Mutfwang is doing, adding that the dividends of democracy is what they are seeing not what APC did in the last 8years. She called on the Court of Appeal to stop stealing the mandate of the people and to stop portraying the state in bad light, adding that the recent judgements of the Appeal Court has caused serious tension in the state which may lead to crisis.

The protesting women were seen singing and chanting “Plateau is not for sale the judges should fear God and know that their is God who watches over us and he is the greatest judge and to know that what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and loses his soul”. They came out from all parts of Jos, the Plateau State in their numbers to express their displeasure over the recent happenings in the judiciary which according to them is suppose to be the hope for common man.

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Plateau Women in Black Protest recent Appeal Court Decision