A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed April 11 for judgment in a suit seeking the declaration of the seat of a House of Representatives member, Yakubu Dogara, vacant over his defection to the All Progressives Congress.
Justice Donatus Okorowo, who fixed the date, said though the judgment was earlier scheduled for today, it was not ready.
The PUNCH reports that the Peoples Democratic Party had asked the court to remove the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dogara, as member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, over his defection to APC.
While the PDP and its Bauchi State Chairman, Hamza Akuyam, are the plaintiffs, Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General of the Federation, Independent National Electoral Commission and the APC are 1st to 5th defendants respectively in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2020.
Dogara had, on July 24, 2020, defected from the PDP to the APC when he submitted a resignation letter to the chairman of the Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in the state.
The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Jubrin Jubrin, said by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, Dogara by defecting from the party that sponsored him to the ninth National Assembly before the expiration of his tenure, ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the lower house.
