Emerging report reaching on Tuesday, indicates that a Federal High Court Judge, in Abuja, will on Friday, deliver judgement in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the sack of the Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, for illegally defecting from the party to the All Progressives Congress, APC, after winning his election under the former.
The PDP, through its Counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021, before Justice Taiwo Taiwo, to seek for an order sacking the Governor and his Deputy, over their defection to the All Progressives Congress, among others.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, gathered from Court 7, where Justice Taiwo presided, that the judgment in suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021, filed by the PDP against the Cross River State Governor and his Deputy, will come up on Friday, March 25.
Recall, that Justice Taiwo had on Monday, ordered 2 House of Representatives Members representing Cross River State in the National Assembly, and 18 Lawmakers from the State’s House of Assembly, to vacate their seats, over their defection to APC, after winning their elections under PDP.
He gave the order following a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/971/2021, filed on August 27, 2021, by the PDP, to challenge the 20 Lawmakers’ defection to APC, alongside the Governor and his Deputy, on May 20, 2021.
Justice Taiwo in the judgment, dismissed the Defence’s argument that the PDP (Plaintiff) had no locus standi (legal rights) to institute the case.
He also dismissed other preliminary objections raised by the sacked Lawmakers.
Justice Taiwo ruled that the argument of the Lawmakers that there was rancour in the PDP, which necessitated their defection to the APC, was a ploy to mislead the court.
He therefore, granted all the reliefs sought by the PDP, holding that it was disheartening that Politicians in the country treat citizens as if they do not matter, once they get into Office.
His words on Monday: “A day must surely come, when elected Officials must either resign from their Office, or ask the people who voted for them, before defecting to other political parties, instead of defecting to another party, without recourse to the Law and the citizens.”
According to him, we cannot continue in sin, and expect grace to abound.
The affected 2 Members of the House of Representatives from the State are: Hon. Michael Etaba and Hon. Legor Idagbor.
The 18 State Lawmakers include: the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Eteng Williams; Hon. Mich Etaba, Hon. Legor Idagbor, Hon. Joseph Bassey, Hon. Odey Agbe, and Hon. Okon Ephraim.
Others are: Hon. Regina Anyogo, Hon. Matthew Olory, Hon. Ekpo Bassey, Hon. Ogbor Udop, Hon. Ekpe Okon, Hon. Hillary Bisong, Hon. Francis Asuquo, Hon. Elvert Ayambem, Hon. Davis Etta, Hon. Sunday Achunekan, Hon. Cynthia Nkasi, Hon. Edward Ajang, Hon. Chris Ogar, and Hon. Maria Akwaji.
More news later…