The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed April 11 for judgement on a suit filed against a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, over his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2020.
The PDP, on whose platform, Mr Dogara won his re-election to the House of Representatives in 2019 for another four-year term, had filed the suit asking the court to declare his seat vacant on the grounds of his defection to the APC.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judge, Donatus Okorowo, had fixed today (Wednesday) for his judgement. But, at Wednesday’s hearing, the judge said the judgement was not ready, and then rescheduled for April 11.
This comes on the heels of recent court judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja sacking Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, alongside, on the account of their last year’s defection from the PDP to the APC.
In a related development, the court, on Monday, sacked 20 Cross River State House of Assembly members along with two members of House of Representatives from the state, who joined Governor Ben Ayade in defecting from the PDP to APC last year.
The court has also fixed Friday for judgement on a suit also by the PDP seeking the sack of Mr Ayade of Cross River State over his defection.
Dogara suit
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PDP had asked the court to remove the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dogara, as member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, over his defection to APC.
While the PDP and its Bauchi State chairman, Hamza Akuyam, are the plaintiffs, Mr Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC are the 1st to the 5th defendants respectively in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2020.
Mr Dogara had defected from the PDP to the APC on July 24, 2020 when he submitted a resignation letter to the chairman of the Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in Bauchi State.
The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Jubrin Jubrin, said by virtue of section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, Mr Dogara, by defecting from the party that sponsored him to the 9th National Assembly before the expiration of his tenure, ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the lower house.
(NAN)
