Chieftaincy tussle: Royal house accuses Plateau govt of defying court order

The Nhara Royal House in Jahr Chiefdom of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State has accused the state and local governments of defying court order restraining the selection of a village head of the area.

Alhaji Hudu Adamu Bawa Garga, who spoke on behalf of the Royal House, disclosed that despite the issuance of an order by the State High Court stopping the selection process, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sylvanus Tapgun, had asked the presiding officer of the ministry to go ahead with the selection.

In a court order dated December 29, 2020, and made available to journalists in Jos, the state capital; the State High Court had restrained the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants; which are Plateau State Government, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from conducting the said election pending the hearing of motion on notice scheduled to hold 6th January, 2021.

But the Nhara family said despite the order, the selection was done by the ministry.

It described the process as “undemocratic and disrespectful to the rule of law”.

It maintained that it was unfortunate that this was happening during a democratically elected government.

However, when the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sylvanus Tapgun, was contacted on the accusation, he said, “I don’t want to comment on the matter since it has been taken to court”.