Ayade to know fate Friday, police take over C’River assembly

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will on Friday deliver judgment in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River.

The PDP, through its counsel Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 before Justice Taiwo Taiwo seeking an order to sack the governor and his deputy over their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The News Agency of Nigeria, on Tuesday, gathered from Court 7, where Justice Taiwo presides that the judgment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 filed by the PDP against Cross River governor and his deputy will come up on Friday, March 25.

NAN reports that Taiwo had, on Monday, 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 the 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.

Justice Taiwo, in the judgment, dismissed the defence argument that the PDP (plaintiff) had no locus standi (legal rights) to institute the case.

He also dismissed other preliminary objections raised by the sacked lawmakers.

Taiwo ruled that the argument of the lawmakers that there was rancour in the PDP which necessitated their defection to APC was a ploy to mislead the court.

The judge, who granted all the reliefs sought by the PDP, held that it was disheartening that politicians in the country treat citizens as if they do not matter once they get into office.

“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,” he said.

According to him, people cannot continue in sin and expect grace.

The affected two members of the House of Representatives from the state are Michael Etaba and Legor Idagbor.

The 18 state lawmakers include the Speaker, House of Assembly, Eteng Williams; Mich Etaba, Legor Idagbor, Joseph Bassey, Odey Agbe and Okon Ephraim.

Others are Regina Anyogo, Matthew Olory, Ekpo Bassey, Ogbor Udop, Ekpe Okon, Hillary Bisong, Francis Asuquo, Elvert Ayambem, Davis Etta, Sunday Achunekan, Cynthia Nkasi, Edward Ajang, Chris Ogar and Maria Akwaji.

While Mr Etaba represents Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency of Cross River, Mr Idagbor represents Obudu/Obaliku/Bekwarra Federal Constituency of the state.

Meanwhile, the police have taken over the Cross River Assembly after the lawmakers’ sacking.

They reportedly took positions on all routes leading to the assembly as early as 6am on Tuesday.

The police units on the ground include the Anti-Kidnapping, Cultism Squad and regular policemen – all armed.

They were also seen on the premises of the assembly.

Some of the policemen were also seen standing close to Governor Ben Ayade’s office, which is close by.

Opposite the route to the Assembly is the UJ Esuene Stadium Calabar. Men suspected to be political party supporters could also be seen smoking and sipping hot drinks.

Motorists and passersby are having difficulty meandering through the crowd of security men and their vans.

It was learnt that the security buildup is as a result of the judgment delivered at Abuja High Court by Justice Taiwo Taiwo which sacked 18 law makers from the state and two from the House of Representatives for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

The ruling APC has claimed to have applied to the court for stay of execution of the judgment, while the party proceeded to the Appeal Court.