April 22, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, ordered former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to vacate his seat as member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency in Bauchi State.
Delivering judgement, Justice Donatus Okorowo, declared that having defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dogara was no longer qualified to occupy the seat by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.
Justice Okorowo aligned with the argument of PDP, that by defecting from the party that sponsored him to the ninth National Assembly, before the expiration of his tenure, Dogara ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the lower house.
The judge, who held that the action of the lawmaker was prohibited by law, agreed that the aim of Section 68(1)(g) was to check political prostitution among legislators.
“The judgement is, therefore, given in favour of the plaintiffs. I hereby grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs”, he declared.
PDP and one of its members in Bauchi State had sued Dogara, then Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Other defendants were the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC, as first to fourth defendants, respectively.
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