On Monday, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court declared vacant the seats of 20 lawmakers from Cross River over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers, two House of Representatives members and 18 Cross River House of Assembly members, had defected alongside the state governor, Ben Ayade sometime last year.

The judge ruled that the affected lawmakers cannot continue to maintain their seats after leaving the party on which platform they were elected. 

PDP had filed a suit praying the court to ask the lawmakers to vacate their seats sinces they had dumped the party that sponsored them to the assembly.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in a judgement, dismissed the defence argument that the PDP (plaintiff) had no locus standi (legal rights) to institute the case.

Mr Taiwo 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.

Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo said, “We cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound.”

In a similar judgement, the court had earlier sacked lawmakers who defected with Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, who also was sacked alongside his deputy.