Defection: Court Sacks Ali Ahmad, Moshood Mustapha and 35 Other Reps.
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.
Kudirat Arinola Lawal Maryam A. Garuba NIPR Elerin Of Adanla Oba Abu Oja-Oba Muhammadu Buhari Kwara State Council Of Chiefs Oniwa Muhammad Toyin Sanusi Mamatu Abdullahi Abdullahi AbdulMajeed Dagbalodo Michael Ologundea Mustapha Akanbi Kwara Metro Park Oko Laboratory-to-Product Binta Abubakar Mora National Party Of Nigeria Salaudeen Oyewale Monkey Pox Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah FERMA Adamu Jemilat-Baki Moshood Mustapha Rex Olawoye Kwara North Baba Adini Of Kwara State Yusuf Mubarak Ahman Pategi University Isaac Aderemi Kolawole Principal Private Secretary FOMWAN Ayobami Akanbi Ajakaye Mohammed Yahaya Barki Henry Olaosebikan Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu Aisha Gobir Shehu Jimoh Abdulfatai Salman Baakini Na\'Allah Aliyu Kora Sabi Olawuyi Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari Micheal Imoudu Suleiman Ajadi Logun Yetunde Balogun Emmanuel Bello Village Alive Development Association Omoniyi M. Ayinla Olabode George Towoju ITP Hussein Olokooba John Kehinde Salako Okin High School Dauda Adeniran Adeshola Neuropsychiatric Hospital Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu Kaosarah Adeyi Aminu Ado Bayero AbdulQowiy Olododo Jimoh Olusola Imam Wahab Egbewole Sola Saraki Educational Foundation Is\'haq Modibbo Kawu CT Ayeni Deji Ajani Kwara State University Of Education Firdaos Amasa Asa Yahaya Jibril Usman Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union Atiku Abegunde Goke

