The Plateau State Government has sued a member of the House of Representatives representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Yusuf Gagdi, for re-awarding a road construction contract initially awarded by the state government.
The lawsuit, marked PLD/P5/2025, was filed by the state’s Attorney-General, P.A. Daffi, before the Plateau State High Court in Pankshin.
The state government is seeking to stop Gagdi’s ongoing construction of the 33km Gunji-Shiwer-Dokpai Road with a spur to Tiplik, which he undertook as part of his constituency projects.
The plaintiffs argue that the road contract, originally awarded in 2008 to Hajaig Nigeria Limited, remains legally binding and that Gagdi has no constitutional or legal authority to re-award it.
They are seeking court declarations affirming the contract’s validity and a perpetual injunction restraining Gagdi and Orion Acres Ltd (the construction firm he engaged) from interfering with the project.
Additionally, the Plateau State Government is demanding ₦100m in general damages for what it describes as unlawful interference with its contractual rights.
At Wednesday’s court session, the state government’s counsel, P.A. Daffi, urged the court to grant an interlocutory injunction stopping Gagdi from proceeding with construction.
However, Gagdi’s lawyer, Johnson Usman (SAN), objected, arguing that the defendants still had time to respond to the motion and the originating summons.
Justice Charles Donglong ruled in favour of the defendants, granting them additional time to file their responses.
The case has been adjourned to February 27 for the hearing of both the interlocutory injunction and the substantive suit.
