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.

Ilorin West     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     SSA Youth Engagement     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria     AbdulRauf Keji     Bashiru Makama     Irepodun     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Kayode Laro     Amosa     Abubakar Lah     Samuel Adedoyin     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory     IDPU     LABTOP     Kwara 2019     AGF Abdulrazaq     Ejidongari     Vasolar Consultoria     Christopher Tunji Ayeni     Abatemi-Usman     Ado Bayero     Aliyu Muhammed     Elerinjare-Ibobo     Kwara Apc     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Timothy Akangbe     Isaac Gbenle     Shuaib Jawondo     Valsolar     Donatus Ejidike     Tunde Idiagbon Road     Rasaq Jimoh     KWASAA     JMK Construction Company Limited     Kulende     Undergraduate Bursary     Valsolar Consultoria     Sardauna     HICA     Baba Adini Of Kwara State     Ilorin East     Abdulrazaq Magaji     GAMA     Abdulraheem Yusuf     Rex Olawoye     Kwarareports     Col. Adedipe     Ahmad Belgore     Communication Network Support Services     Ilorin Airport     Olatunji Moronfoye     Oladimeji Thompson     Afonja     Park     20 Billion Bond     Umar Saro     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Marafan Shonga     Taofik Mustapha     Bamidele Adegoke     Mary Arinde     Gbemisola Saraki     Tunde Saad     Olaoye B. Felix     Muhammadu Buhari     Taofik Abdulkareem     New Nigeria People’s Party     Ilorin Likeminds Foundation     Umar Yakubu Jaja     A.G.F Abdulrasaq     Oluranti Idowu     Yekini Adio     Emir Of Kano     Dauda Adeniran Adeshola    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Bayer Nigeria Limited     Ojo Fadumila     Bahago     Yunus Lawal     Yusuf Abdulraheem     Yakubu Gobir     Kayode Issa     Kaosarah Adeyi     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Kamoru Kadiri     Facemasks     Haleeman Salman     Young Progressives Party     Nigerian Correctional Service     Muhammed Abdullahi     Aminu Ado Bayero     Jelili Yusuf     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Communication Network Support Services     Kwara Consultative Forum     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Iyabo Dupe Adekeye     KWASEIC     IQRA College     Edret Sabi Abel     Surajudeen Akanbi     Convocation Ceremonies     Olokoba     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     Bayo Lawal     Bello Abubakar     Cornelius Adebayo     IPSAS     Oko     Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran     Mohammed Ibrahim     Modibo Kawu     Aisha Gobir     IYA YUSUF     Abdulquawiy Olododo     Oloriegbe     Radio SBS     Kwara Hotel     Isin     NIPOGA     Mazars Consulting     Plat Technologies Limited     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Abdulraufu Mustapha     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     NAWOJ     General Hospital, Ilorin     Rihanat Ajia     Abubakar Lah     Gbajabiamila     Afeyin-Olukuta     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Awodun     Zainab Abass     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     Tafida Of Kaiama     Law School Scholarship     Shaaba Lafiagi     Folashade Omoniyi     Diagnostic Centre     Gbenga Olawepo     Adesoye College     Gamji Members Association     Olaitan Adefila     Iqra Books     Saidu Kawu     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Olaoye B. Felix     Saidu Isa     Taofeeq Olateju     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat