A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has adjourned further proceedings in the suit challenging the June 9, 2026 judgment recognising some Hausa residents as indigenes of Jos North Local Government Area.
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Justice C. Donglong adjourned the matter to October 29, 2026, following a disagreement over the legal representation of the judgment creditors.
The court is expected to rule on a preliminary objection challenging the appearance of a new team of lawyers for the respondents before proceeding to hear the substantive applications seeking to set aside the judgment.
Jos North Local Government Council is asking the court to set aside the June 9 judgment, which was delivered after the council allegedly failed to enter appearance when the matter came up for hearing.
At Friday’s proceedings, counsel to Jos North Local Government and the indigenous ethnic groups, Chief Garba Pwul, SAN, objected to the appearance of the new legal team representing the respondents.
Pwul argued that the lawyers were not originally on record and had not complied with the rules of court regulating change of counsel.
Speaking with journalists after the sitting, the senior lawyer said court proceedings are governed by strict procedural rules, adding that Order 52 of the Plateau State High Court Rules requires a formal notice of change of counsel before a new lawyer can take over a matter.
He explained that the lengthy arguments on the issue made it impossible for the court to deliver an immediate ruling, while the commencement of the court’s annual vacation also made adjournment necessary.
Pwul appealed to residents of Jos North, particularly the indigenous communities, to remain calm and allow the judicial process to run its course.
Also speaking, counsel to the Berom ethnic group, Edward Pwajok, SAN, said the June 9 judgment was delivered after Jos North Local Government did not appear when the matter was heard.
He said the Berom, Afizere and Anaguta ethnic groups had filed separate applications seeking to be joined as interested parties and asking the court to set aside the judgment.
However, counsel to the judgment creditors, Yakubu H., SAN, defended the appearance of the new legal team, insisting that every litigant has a constitutional right to engage counsel of their choice.
The matter will now continue on October 29, when the court is expected to determine the objection on legal representation before considering the applications challenging the June 9 judgment.
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