Federal High Court dismisses suit seeking to declare vacant seat of Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade.
Written by News Room on April 8, 2022
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to declare vacant the seat of Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who cited the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Enugu that defection is not a ground for removal from office, noted that the removal of a sitting governor and his deputy can only be done in line with constitutional provisions.
Counsel to Governor Ayade, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), spoke to newsmen shortly after the court ruling.
It would be recalled that Governor Ayade defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in May 2021 from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he wanted to work with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The PDP subsequently filed a suit against Governor Ayade and his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu, arguing that they had abandoned the political party that sponsored their re-election.
Kevin Madu