Defection: Court Sacks Ali Ahmad, Moshood Mustapha and 35 Other Reps.

Date: 2014-03-31

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered 37 former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to resign their seats at the House of Representatives for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

Delivering judgment, Justice Adeniyi Ademola held that the defected lawmakers no longer had any business, morally and legally, to stay in the House of Reps.

He said they should honourably resign from their seats as members of the House of Representative , having moved to another political party, while their tenure had yet to expire.

“Having perused the arguments of counsel and the constitutional provisions, it is clear and unambiguous that the defendants were sponsored by the PDP and won the election on its platform.

“It is also the court’s opinion that their tenure has not expired and there is no division in the PDP.

“The defendants are, therefore, not competent to vote or contribute to any proceedings in the House of Representatives.

“An order of perpetual injunction is, hereby, ordered, restraining them from altering or attempting to change the leadership of the House of Reps,’’ Ademola said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP had on Jan. 7 instituted a suit seeking to restrain the House of Representatives from altering the composition of its leadership.

The party had commenced the action following the defection of 37 lawmakers, who won election on its platform, to the opposition APC.

Mr Yunus Usman (SAN), PDP’s counsel had, while arguing his originating summons, faulted the cross-carpeting of the lawmakers, saying that the legislators did so during the dependency of a judgment.

He argued that by virtue of the Oct. 2013 judgment of Justice Evoh Chukwu, which said there was no division in PDP, the matter had been laid to rest.

Usman had further submitted that by virtue of the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Nigerian constitution, as amended, the  lawmakers ought to have vacated their seats immediately.

Mr Mamoud Magaji (SAN), counsel to the defendants, had in his submission, argued that it was wrong for the PDP to have sought to restrain its former members from House activities for defecting.

Other defence counsel, Mr Niyi Akintola, SAN, Mr Sebastian Hon, SAN, Mr James Ocholi,SAN, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko,SAN, and Jibril Okutepa,SAN, had prayed the court to dismiss the suit.

(NAN)

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Olaosebikan     Umar Gunu     Iyeru Grammar School     Ahmed Alhasssan     Democracy Day     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     Olatunji Ayeni     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Pius Abioje     Sayomi     Ado Bayero     Rueben Parejo     Wahab Egbewole     Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication     Kwara TV     Sulyman Buhari     Rasheed Jimoh     Innocent Okoye     Oke Sunna     Biliaminu Aliu     Femi Agbaje     Ilorin Innovation Hub     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     EndSARS     Olatunji Abdulmumeen     Saka Onimago     Madawaki     Omoniyi M. Ayinla     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Sa\'adu Gambari     Adamu Jemilat-Baki     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Veterinary Teaching Hospital     Lafiagi     Ahman Pategi University     Saka Abimbola Isau     Student Learning Support Helpline     Adanla-Irese     MINILS     Nurudeen Mohammed     Talaka Parapo     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     Abdulrazaq Adebayo     Abdulrazaq Sanni     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Nigerian Army     Barakat Community Secondary School     Sam Okaula     GAMA     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Folorunsho Alao     Cornelius Adebayo     Sadiq Buhari     Maryam A. Garuba     Ishola Balogun Fulani     Sardauna     Ahmad Uthman     Unilorin     Markaz Arabic And Islamic Training Institute, Agege     Ilorin International Airport     Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate     Abdulrazaq Solihudeen     Wole Oke     Adamu Attah     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Adesoye     Tsado Manman     TIC     Toyosi Thomas     Busari Toyin Isiaka     Abdullahi G. Mohammad     Magaji Erubu     Kishira    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Muhammed Akanbi     Kamoru Kadiri     Erubu Oba Zubair     Col. Adedipe     Ahmad Belgore     COVID     IYA YUSUF     Tanke Road     Erubu     Saheed Alakoso     Oloje     Saliu Mustapha     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Ijakadi     Matthew Babaoye     Okeose Christian Cementary     Muhammed Aliyu     Curfew     Salihu Ajibola Ajia     Chief Imam Of Ilorin     Bibire Ajape     Agbarigidoma     Sa\'adu Gambari     GGDSS Pakata     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Oniwa     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Bamikole Omishore     Presidential Election     Olatunji Ibrahim     Abdullateef Abdussalam     Olabode George Towoju     Sherif Sagaya     Suleiman Idris     Seed Technologies     Anilelerin     Arandun     New Naira Notes     Tunji Ajanaku     Oju Ekun Sarumi     Abioye Bello     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Elerinjare     Gaa Olobi     Maryam A. Garuba     Makama Of Kaiama     Saka Aleshinloye     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Ilorin Muslim Community     Damilola Yusuf Adelodun     Bisi Oyeleke     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     Kwara 2019     Yakubu Danladi     Oke-Ero     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     UNILORIN Alumni     Umar Danladi Shero     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Kayode Oyin Zubair     MAI Akande     UITH     Hakeem Lawal     Sulyman Tejidini     V.O. Abioye     Saba Mamman Daniel     Balogun Gambari     Ita-Nmo Market     Jare Olatundun     Lateef Fagbemi     Na\'Allah     Musa Alhassan Buge     Iponrin     Universal Basic Education Commission     Abiodun Jacob Ajiboye     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng