The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has postponed the judgment in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River to April 6.

On Tuesday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo had fixed March 25 for the judgment.

However, it was gathered from Court 7, where Mr Taiwo presides, Friday morning that the judgment, fixed for today, had been put off because it was not ready.

The PDP, through its counsel Emmanuel Ukala, had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 before the court to seek an order sacking the governor and his deputy for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), among others.

Mr Taiwo had on Monday ordered two House of Representatives members representing Cross River and 18 lawmakers from the Cross River House of Assembly to vacate their seats for defecting to 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.

Mr 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. The judge 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,” said the judge.

The affected federal lawmakers are Michael Etaba and Legor Idagbor. The 18 state legislators include the speaker Eteng Williams; Mich Etaba, Legor Idagbor, Joseph Bassey, Odey Agbe and Okon Ephraim, Regina Anyogo, Matthew Olory, Ekpo Bassey, Ogbor Udop, and Ekpe Okon.

Others are 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.

A sister judge, Inyang Ekwo, had, also, on March 8, sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi and other lawmakers who defected to APC.

(NAN)