Jos — The atmosphere in Tunkus, headquarters of Mikang Local Government of Plateau State was charged over the weekend as some youths tried to prevent the former council chairman, Innocent Tirsel ,from entering the council secretariat.

Tirsel's election was recently nullified by the appeal tribunal sitting in Jos but Daniel Kungmi who was declared winner by the tribunal has not been sworn in by the state governor Jonah Jang. Kungmi's supporters insisted that no one except him would come into the secretariat and perform the function of chairman.

The Appeal Court tribunal sitting in Jos had on October 31 upheld the judgment of the lower tribunal and ordered the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission to issue a certificate of return to Kungmi, who was wrongfully substituted after the PDP primaries.

But Tirsel has said he does not recognize the judgment of the appeal tribunal. According to him, the tribunal does not have jurisdiction to sit over the matter since it was a pre-election issue.

He confirmed to our correspondent when contacted that he had wanted to resume at the secretariat because as far as he is concerned, he is the chairman of Mikang local of the local government council.

Our correspondent learnt that Tirsel had driven to the neighboring local government of Shendam the previous day in a full convoy as council chairman and had planned to enter Tunkus, but some youths who had gotten wind of the development laid siege to prevent him from gaining access to the council secretariat.

As tension reportedly built up, policemen were drafted to the area since Friday and had mounted road blocks. Tirsel was reportedly unable to enter the premises of the secretariat as he had planned due to the protest.

The sacked chairman, explained to our correspondent that the youths were hired from the neighboring local governments to cause confusion but that he had appealed to his supporters to be calm as he has applied to the law enforcement agencies for protection to enable him continue in office pending the determination of the original suit he fled at the High Court.

The police public relations officer, Mohammed Lerama, when contacted said he was aware that there was a political problem in Mikang local government but was not aware that policemen had been drafted to the area.