Defection: Court strikes out suit seeking sack of Saraki, Dogara, 52 other lawmakers

A civic group had asked that their seats be declared vacant due to their defection from the parties on whose platforms they were elected.

The group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), had on September 14, 2018, asked the Federal High Court to order that the members of the National Assembly who defected should vacate their seats.

In July 2018, 37 members of the House of Representatives defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC). About 32 of them joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), four joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) while one did not announce his new party at the time.


On the same day, 14 APC senators defected to the PDP.

Meanwhile, being part of the defendants, Mr Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in their response asked the court to dismiss the suit filed by the group on grounds that it is an abuse of court process.

The duo added that the suit lacked merit.

The defendants had submitted that the plaintiff has no ‘locus standi’ to institute the case.

Delivering judgement on Friday, the judge, Okon Abang, held that “the plaintiff’s case has merit but lacks locus standi to institute the case.”

“The plaintiff that instituted this case is not a political party that sponsored the election of the lawmakers.

“Also the plaintiff is not Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) that regulates the activities of political parties and monitor elections.

“The plaintiff is not a registered voter in Nigeria.

“They are not members of the National Assembly.”

“None of the political party that sponsored the lawmakers is a party in this case.”

“They, therefore, lack the capacity, legal power to institute the case.

“The plaintiff’s case is incompetent and thereby struck out,” Mr Abang ruled.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/330359-breaking-defection-court-strikes-out-suit-seeking-sack-of-saraki-dogara-52-other-lawmakers.html

Abang has started smoking weed again

These pdp bastards won't call Abang an APC judge because it favor them. Democracy in action.

If na against them n.a. Buhari kill their papa

Failed judiciary system. Since when?

They are on there own. Justice Abang 2019

It's quite obvious, all politicians are of the same caliber. Irrespective of the party.

AfonjaBoston:
These pdp bastards won't call Abang an APC judge because it favor them. Democracy in action.

If na against them n.a. Buhari kill their papa

You dont need to call people bastards to make a comment.

Even a novice knew the court case was just a charade.. there were divisions in the party that backed up such, didn't you hear of R-APC...

Dard69:
Dogara is mad

na only mad people dey know themselves

AfonjaBoston:
These pdp bastards won't call Abang an APC judge because it favor them. Democracy in action.

If na against them n.a. Buhari kill their papa

To me the number of people defecting is 37 32 so its not particular in favour to any party, its just common sense he allows them see their few days out.

Besides this is Nigeria no body can stop these political class from defecting cos party isn't defined on ideologies

In case you didn't understand all this grammer, it simply means our legislators can not be prosecuted..shikenan

Esseite:


You dont need to call people bastards to make a comment.

Even a novice knew the court case was just a charade.. there were divisions in the party that backed up such, didn't you hear of R-APC...

There was no division in APC as at time of defection. The R-APC are just group of non-standing and unrecognised APC members. And all those that defected do not publicly associate with the group.
This is different to R-PDP, where the national executives and NEC were significantly factionalised, including their elected public officers (Governors, Representatives and Senate), to the extent of having parallel national convention.
Please note that the law only recognised division at national level.

And on the judgement going by the nature of the case, the Judge is right and defense party arguments is sound and valid. The group has no stake in their defections, they are outsider to the issue at stake.

AfonjaBoston:
These pdp bastards won't call Abang an APC judge because it favor them. Democracy in action.

If na against them n.a. Buhari kill their papa

APC bastards are stark illiterates because the so called judge know his fellow APC bastards wont read his reason for not welcoming the case but will still do the needful

VERY SOON COURT SHALL STRIKE OUT MR BUBU FROM ASO ROCK

AfonjaBoston:
These pdp bastards won't call Abang an APC judge because it favor them. Democracy in action.

If na against them n.a. Buhari kill their papa

For ur mind, u are speaking sense, right!