Izuchukwu Okosi
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has been mandated to vacate his seat as a member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, Prime Business Africa reports.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Donatus Okorowo gave the order on Friday (April 22) following the defection of Dogara from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okorowo maintained that having elected to defect, Dogara was no longer qualified to occupy the seat by virtue of Section 68 (1) (g) of the constitution.
The judge reiterated that the ruling was made so to check ‘political prostitution’ among the legislators and Dogara ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the lower house.
“The judgment is therefore given in favour of the plaintiffs I hereby granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs,” Okorowo declared.
The PDP and one of its members in Bauchi State had in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/20, sued Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives.
Other defendants are the Attorney General of the Federation, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
Okorowo had, earlier in a judgment, dismissed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/883/30 and filed by Incorporated Trustees of United Global Resources for Peace Organisation against Dogara and five others on the grounds that the group lacked locus standi to institute the matter.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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