Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang vacated the newly-renovated Governor Lodge and Office, Jishe, Jos because the March 23 Supreme Court ruling had declared Nasarawa State the owner of the property, investigation has revealed.
The governor’s sudden relocation from the property recently sparked rumours he might have fled because of the new security fears in the crisis-prone Jos, where many have been killed in sectarian attacks.
However, our correspondent learnt that two states had, in an asset sharing agreement brokered by the late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, agreed that some property, including the Government House should be given to Nasarawa. Nasarawa was created on October 1, 1996 by the Abacha administration.
It was learnt that the Jang administration refused to abide by the agreement as it went ahead to renovate the building, which he occupied as Government House.
However, the apex court ruled that the property it renovated by the state government recently belongs to Nasarawa.
Justice John Fabiyi, who read the lead judgment, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, said it was wrong for Plateau to renege on an agreement it validly entered into
Nasarawa State had averred that in an agreement between the then Military Administrators of Plateau and Nasarawa states, Col Habibu Shuaibu and Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim respectively, and brokered by Abacha, Plateau was to cede 13 property, among whom was the present Government House and Lodge, Jishe to Nasarawa.
Nasarawa had also asked the apex court to direct Plateau to hand over all title documents relating to the said properties or, to otherwise transfer the said properties to the plaintiff forthwith and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, its servants, agents, officers and or privies from interfering with the plaintiffs right to peaceful occupation and enjoyment of the properties afore-listed.
Fabiyi said, “In my opinion, it is not right for the defendant (Plateau) to attempt to back out from the agreement in Exhibit NAS 4. The defendant cannot retrace its steps in the prevailing circumstances … the plaintiff has directly by evidence and the applicable laws proved the case properly against the defendant.”
Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Prof Shedrack Best, had earlier said the governor did not leave because of a dispute with Nasarawa. When prodded on the court judgment, he referred our correspondent to the State Attorney-General, Mr. Edward Pwajok, for clarification.
He said, “For the records, Jang has not relocated to Rayfield. He simply works from Rayfield Government House, which was not shut down for all the time government was run from Jishe. The two locations belong to Plateau and government transactions have always been from both locations.
However all efforts to speak to Pwajok were unsuccessful.
CKN
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