Defection: Ebonyi, Zamfara, Cross River State Govs may not survive as Supreme Court sacks Ondo Rep

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has sacked Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde representing Akure South/North in the Federal House of Representatives.

The lawmaker defected from his original political Party, which was Labour Party – LP to the All Progressive Congres APC in Ondo State.

The Supreme Court verdict on Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde is a pointer that Ebonyi, Zamfara and Cross River State Governors should know that their days are numbered.

The Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi for instance has approached an Appeal Court to seek readdress over his sack by an Abuja High Court presided by Justice Inyang Ekwo.

Should Umahi’s hope been ressucitated by the Appeal Court, the Supreme Court may finally close the coffin of his mandate before its expiration citing Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde precedence.

For Zamfara, the Federal High Court Abuja has already fixed April 8 for adoption of final address in PDP’s suit against Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State

Same Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has fixed the date after parties in the suit confirmed joining issues with one another.

In the case before Justice Ekwo, PDP is praying the court for an order removing Matawalle as Governor over his defection from PDP to the All Progressives Congress -APC
also asked the court to sack the senators, House of Representatives members and State House House of Assembly’s members who decamped alongside the Governor to APC.

Counsel for the PDP (plaintiff), Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, confirmed that all his processes had been filed and served on all the defendants.

Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who was the lawyer to the governor and 34 others, also spoke in the same vein.

Lawyers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).and APC which are defendants in the suit informed that they had also joined issues in the matter.

Justice Ekwo said that with completion of exchange of processes by parties, the stage was set for definite hearing of all pending motions along with the substantive matter.

He announced that all processes would be adopted on April 8 after which a date for judgment would be fixed.

The judge warned that any counsel who failed to be in court on adjourned date would have his papers deemed adopted.

The Tuesday Judgement of Justice Inyang Ekwo on Ebonyi State, is said to have unsettled the Cross River State Government. As Ben Ayade who was also sponsored by the People Democratic Party PPD to win his gubernatorial contest decamped to APC.