Ayade, Deputy To Know Fate, Today

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will, today, deliver its judgement on the defection of Cross River Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, and his deputy from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The verdict, which was earlier scheduled to be delivered late March, 2022, was reserved for April 6, 2022.
The PDP, through its counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had earlier filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 before Justice Taiwo Taiwo, to seek for an order sacking the governor and his deputy over their defection to the ruling APC.
Taiwo had in March, 2022, ordered two House of Representatives members representing Cross River and 18 lawmakers from the state’s House of Assembly to vacate their seats over their defection to APC.
The judge gave the order following a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/971/2021 filed on August 27, 2021, by the PDP to challenge the 20 lawmakers’ defection to APC, alongside the governor on May 20, 2021.
In the verdict, Taiwo, dismissed the defence argument that the PDP as plaintiff had no locus standi meaning legal rights to institute the matter.
The trial court also dismissed other preliminary objections raised by the sacked lawmakers.
He also ruled that the argument of the lawmakers that there was rancour in the PDP, which necessitated their defection to the APC, was a deliberate ploy to mislead the court.
Taiwo, who granted all the reliefs sought by the PDP, also held that it was disheartening that politicians in the country treat citizens as if they do not matter once they get into office.
In its obiter, the court observed that, “A day must surely come when elected officials, must either resign from their office or ask the people who voted for them before defecting to other political parties, instead of defecting to another party without recourse to the law and the citizens, “
According to the court, “we cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound”.
The affected two members of the House of Representatives from the state were Michael Etaba and Legor Idagbor.
The 18 state lawmakers, include the Speaker, House of Assembly, Hon Eteng Williams; Hon Mich Etaba; Hon Legor Idagbor; Hon Joseph Bassey; Hon Odey Agbe; and Hon Okon Ephraim.
Others were Hon Regina Anyogo; Hon Matthew Olory; Hon Ekpo Bassey; Hon Ogbor Udop; Hon Ekpe Okon; Hon Hillary Bisong; Hon Francis Asuquo; Hon Elvert Ayambem; Hon Davis Etta; Hon Sunday Achunekan; Hon Cynthia Nkasi; Hon Edward Ajang; Hon Chris Ogar; and Hon Maria Akwaji.
While Etaba represents Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency of Cross River, Idagbor represents Obudu/Obaliku/Bekwarra Federal Constituency of the state.
Another trial judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Inyang Ekwo had, also, on March 8, sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi and other lawmakers who defected alongside Umahi from the PDP to the ruling APC.