The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed 20 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly who switched from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress.
The court ruled on Monday, in a decision delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, that the lawmakers’ seats had to be vacated because they had abandoned the party that had brought them to power.
The decision followed a suit filed by the PDP with the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021.
In his decision, Justice Taiwo rejected the defense argument that the PDP (plaintiff) lacked locus standi (legal standing) to bring the case.
Taiwo ruled that the lawmakers’ argument that there was rancor in the PDP, which necessitated their defection to the APC, was a ruse to mislead the court.
The judge, who granted all of the PDP’s requested reliefs, stated that it is disheartening that politicians in the country treat citizens as if they do not matter once they are elected.
We cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound, he says.
