Lalong agrees on out-of-court settlement with sacked LG chairmen

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has agreed to settle out of court with the elected Chairmen of the 17 local government areas of the state, who sued him for wrongfully sacking them from office on July 6, 2015 and replacing them with Management Committee chairmen.

When the case came up before Justice Philomena Lot of High Court IV, Jos, Lalong, through his counsel, Mr. Sunday Obende, said he has adhered to the advice of the judge, who, when the case was last heard on March 10, advised the parties to pursue an out-of-court settlement.

The sacked chairmen, through their counsel, Mr. Philemon Daffi, had asked the court to declare their sack “unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional, null and void” and requested for an order compelling the defendants to pay them an accumulative N250,123,075.86 being their withheld salaries and allowances, from July 2015 to March 3, 2017, to complete their respective tenures.

On their return to court on Monday, Obende told the court that the judge’s advice was accepted by the governor, saying “He (Lalong) has given me his words on his readiness to have a round table discussion with the aggrieved sacked council officials.

“The tone for the out-of-court settlement has already been set and we are going on with it since the plaintiffs are ready for it.”

On his part, Daffi, counsel to the plaintiffs, told the court that his clients had heeded the judge’s advice, but that nothing tangible had been done regarding an out-of-court settlement, adding “the only snag is that nothing tangible has been achieved. I am happy to hear that the governor is willing to discuss with my clients.”

The case was adjourned to May 21 for reports on possible settlement and hearing of applications.