Court Sacks 17 Ebonyi Lawmakers Over Defection To APC

AN Abuja Federal High Court has sacked 17 members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the sack of the lawmakers on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the PDP.

The lawmakers had on November 17, 2020, joined governor David Umahi and his deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe, to defect to the APC.

The court had earlier on Tuesday sacked Umahi and Igwe from office over the defection.

Delivering judgment in the suit against the members of the Ebonyi house of assembly, the judge held that having abandoned the political party that brought them to power, the lawmakers could no longer occupy their seats.

He declared their seats vacant and restrained them from further parading themselves as members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

Justice Ekwo held that Section 109(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution was purposely couched to ensure that defectors were not allowed to retain their seats in the house of assembly, unless such defectors are able to justify their action.

The court also made an order of mandatory injunction compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept from the PDP, a list of its candidates to replace the sacked lawmakers, as well as to issue Certificates of Return to them.

Justice Ekwo further directed INEC to within 90 days, conduct fresh election in Ebonyi State to fill up the vacant positions.

The lawmakers were equally ordered to refund all salaries and monies they received from the period they defected to the APC.

In an earlier judgement, the court had also sacked the state governor and his deputy.