Defection: Court Fixes Suit Against Zamfara Gov, Others, April 8 …PDP Holds 95th NEC Meeting, Tuesday

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 8 for the adoption of final addresses in a suit by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP seeking removal from office, Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mutawale over his defection from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice InyangEkwo fixed the date, yesterday, after parties in the suit confirmed joining issues with each other.
Also sought to be sacked alongside the governor are the senators, House of Representatives members and state House of Assembly members who decamped to the ruling party along with Matawalle.
Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, who stood for PDP, confirmed to Ekwo that all his processes have been filed and served on all the defendants while Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who stood for the governor and 34 others, confirmed a similar position.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC which are also defendants in the defection suit have joined issues.
At yesterday’s proceedings, Ekwo said with the completion of the exchange of processes by the parties, the stage has been set for a definite hearing of all pending motions along with the substantive matter.
The judge announced that all processes would be adopted on April 8 after which a date for judgement would be fixed.
He warned that any counsel who fails to be in court on the adjourned date would have his papers deemed adopted.
PDP had dragged the governor and his co-defectors before the court challenging their defection to another party, and praying the court to remove them from their respective offices on the ground of their alleged unlawful defection.
Meanwhile, the 95th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would hold on Tuesday.
The PDP National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced this in a statement titled, ‘Notice of 95th NEC Meeting of PDP’, yesterday, in Abuja.
“All members of the National Executive Committee of our great party are invited to the 95th NEC meeting,” he said.
He added that the meeting would take place on Tuesday at the party’s national headquarters, Wadata House in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The opposition party urged all members to attend, adding that “the meeting will discuss crucial matters”.