Court Sacks 20 Cross River Assembly Members over Defection

Alex Enumah

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Monday ordered the removal from office 20 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly over their defection last year from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Taiwo, in a judgment, held that the affected state legislators cannot continue to occupy office having dumped the party that brought them into office.
The state lawmakers had joined the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, and his deputy to dump the PDP last year for the APC.
But the PDP, in a suit instituted on its behalf by Mr Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), approached the court to challenge the legality of the actions of the defectors.
However, in his judgment, the court agreed with the plaintiff that the defendants’ continued stay in office amounts to an illegality having crossed over to another party.
The judge held that votes belong to a political party and that the electorate voted for the legislators because they contested on the platform of the PDP and not in their individual capacity.
The judge therefore ordered them to vacate office having defected from the PDP to the APC.
Those affected by the order are Legor Idagbor, Eteng William, Joseph bassey, Odey Agbe, Okon Ephraim, Regina Anyogo, Mathew Olory, Ekpo Basset, Ogbor Udop, Ekpe Okon, Hillary Bisong, Francis asuquo, Elvert Ayambem and Davis Etta.
Others include Sunday Achunekan, Cynthia Nkasi, Edward Ajang, Chris Ogar and Maria Akwaji.
Another judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Inyang Ekwo, had on March 8, sacked 15 lawmakers of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, as well as Governor Dave Umahi and his deputy for defection.
He held that votes in an election does not only belong to political parties but such votes cannot be transferred from party to party by politicians when they defect from one party to another.
Judgment is however awaited in the suit filed against Governor Ayade and his deputy.
Details later…