Court reinstated Langtang North LG Chairman resumes office
Mr Joshua Laven, the court reinstated Chairman of Langtang North Local Government of Plateau State, on Thursday resumed office, saying he dedicated his victory at the High Court to God and the people of his area.
It would be recalled that Laven in 2018 won the chairmanship of the local government but was not inaugurated by Governor Simon Lalong, following which he challenged and won the case in 2019.
However, Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), conducted local government elections on Oct. 9, 2021 and a new chairman was inaugurated while his tenure subsisted.
Laven, again, went to court and challenged PLASIEC, Plateau Government and two other defendants for advertising and conducting election for the office of the chairman of Langtang North when his tenure had not elapsed.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ishaku Kunda in a declarative judgment on Tuesday reinstated Laven as the chairman of the local government.
The court declared that, there was no local government election in Langtang North Local Government on Oct. 9, 2021 in the eyes of the law and that the seat of the Local Government Chairman, Mr Joshua Laven, was not vacant at that time.
Laven, who returned to office on Thursday, said that the rule of law had prevailed and thanked the people of Langtang for standing with the truth.
The chairman said that the people needed to sit and protect democracy saying that was why he challenged his illegal removal from office when his tenure had not elapsed.
“My victory at the High Court is proof that the law will always have its course; that nobody is above the law and that the law is sacrosanct.
“I can assure you that those who have the boldness, like I, to challenge impunity will always have their way.
“I am a product of rule of law; I won this election Oct. 10, 2018. I was denied access to the office.
“I went to court, I got judgment on July 22, 2019 and I was sworn in on Oct. 9, after I lost one year,” he said.
He promised to stand by the mandate given to him by the people of Langtang North, stressing that he would not accept any alternative.
Laven said that the mandate was for three years and cannot be compromised, adding that he would not play with it.
