Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara. |
By Emmanuel Afonne
The United Global Resolve for Peace Organisation,
a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has dragged the former Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, seeking that his seat be
declared vacant, following his defection to the All Progressives Congress
(APC).
Dogara had tendered his resignation letter to the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman at Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in Bogoro Local
Government Area, Bauchi, on July 24, 2020.
Dogara had said that his resignation from PDP was to
continue the fight to install a decent and egalitarian government in the state.
But the group in an originating summons marked
FHC/ABJ/CS/883/2020 filed by its counsel, Michael Okejimi & Co. Law Empire
and obtained by NAN on Wednesday, sought an order of court directing Dogara to
vacate his seat.
The group prayed the court to also restrain the 4th
defendant or any other person acting in that office from further recognising
the 1st Defendant as member of the House of Representatives.
The six defendants in the suit are (1) the former
Speaker Dogara, (2) PDP (3) APC (4) Speaker of the House of Representatives
(5), Independent National Electoral Commission, and (6) the Attorney General of
the Federation.
Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, another lawyer for the
plaintiff in an affidavit in support of the originating summons argued that
there was a public duty on the 1st defendant to vacate his seat at the House of
Representatives given the instant circumstances.
“The 1st defendant having relinquished his
membership of the 2nd defendant via his letter of resignation and joined the
3rd defendant is legally mandated by the 1999 (as amended) Constitution to
vacate his seat as a member of the House of Representatives.
“The 1st defendant’s defection from the 2nd
defendant political party to the 3rd defendant political party without any
division within the national structure of the 2nd Defendant political party has
deprived the 1st defendant of the vires to continue to occupy his seat.
“The Application to the Honourable Court is to
ensure the observance of the law and the preservation of the political public
morality of the country.
“It is the Plaintiff’s belief that there has been an
infraction/breach of the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by the 1st defendant, and that no one is above
the law,” Olajengbesi said.
No date has been fixed by the court for hearing on
the matter. (NAN)
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