PRESS RELEASE

IN THE MATTER OF SUM PYEM OF PYEM CHIEFDOM, MANGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL OF PLATEAU STATE

The attention of the Plateau State Government has been drawn to several Publications in the Print, Electronic and Social Media wrongfully claiming that the Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Governor Simon Bako Lalong, allegedly on the basis of some undisclosed sentiments, is in defiance of the Judgment and Order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria mandating him to install Architect Hudu Ibrahim Manomi as the rightful Sum Pyem to the throne of the Pyem Chiefdom.

This unfounded allegation is attributed to one Auwalu Haruna Magaji, said to be the Leader of some Concerned members of the Gindiri Community.
We make bold to say that nothing could be farther from the Truth. Governor Lalong’s antecedents clearly vindicate him as a Man of

Peace, a true Believer and Advocate of the Rule of Law and a Bridge- builder par- excellence.

The Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in question delivered on 1st February, 2019, in Appeal No: SC/883/2015 in ARCHITECT HUDU IBRAHIM MANOMI & ANOR AND JOSEPH D. MATO DAKAT & 3 ORS. merely restored the Declaratory Judgment of the High Court of Plateau State of 13th day of April, 2006, CORAM JUSTICE J.H. SANKEY (as he then was).

It was not an executory Judgment on the basis of which the Governor of Plateau State, or anyone else for that matter, was mandated to do anything in respect of the Stool of Sum Pyem.

Under Nigerian Law declaratory Judgments and Orders are not binding as they merely declare the existence of a Legal relationship without any Order directed at a specific person for compliance or enforcement.

The Judgment of the Supreme Court merely restored the declaratory Judgment of the High Court of Plateau State, which went no further than to pronounce Architect Hudu Manomi as being eligible to Contest and that he was duly Selected at the Selection exercise held on 17th May, 2004, without more!

The Judgment of the High Court, which the Supreme Court restored contained no order nullifying the Selection of the current Sum Pyem conducted on 26th November 2013; it contained no order directing the Governor of Plateau State, the Mangu Local Government Council or any Government Agency to install Architect Hudu Ibrahim Manomi as Sum Pyem.

The Court could not have so ordered because Architect Hudu Manomi had no Counter-Claim before the Court on the basis of which specific mandatory Orders could have been made in his favour by the Court.

Let it be known that the Governor of Plateau State cannot, without a mandatory Order of a competent Court of Law, remove the incumbent Sum Pyem, a beneficiary of the exercise of Official acts by then Governor of Plateau State, which acts the Law presumes to be regular until the contrary is proved.

Therefore, for now, the occupation of the Stool of Sum Pyem by His Royal Highness Charles Mato Dakat is presumed to be regular in Law until the contrary is proved.

Architect Hudu Manomi is consequently advised to seek judicial determination of the Status of the Judgment of the Supreme Court being relied upon by him in his demand for installation as Sum Pyem of Pyem Chiefdom.

In the meantime, the Plateau State Government appeals to all Citizens to continue to be Law abiding and to maintain the hard- earned relative Peace in the State.

Plateau State Citizens should also rest assured that his Excellency Governor Simon Bako Lalong will continue to be Governor in Fact and in Deed to all Citizens of the State, irrespective of Tribe or Creed.

LONG LIVE PLATEAU STATE!

LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!

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DAN MANJANG
HON. COMMISSIONER FOR INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION

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