The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday declared the seat of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, vacant, following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. VANGUARD reports.

The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that Dogara, having abandoned the political party that sponsored his election, ought to vacate his seat in line with the provisions of sections 68(1) (g) and 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

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In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2020, which was lodged before the court by the PDP.

It will be recalled that Dogara was in 2019, re-elected on the platform of the PDP to represent Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State at the National Assembly.

He, however, defected to the APC on July 24, 2020, after he submitted a resignation letter to the PDP Chairman of Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in the state. Information Guide Nigeria

Dissatisfied with his action, the PDP and its Bauchi State Chairman, Hamza Akuyam, through their team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, approached the court to declare his seat vacant.

The Plaintiffs, among other things, contended that by virtue of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Dogara, ought to vacate the seat for abandoning the party that sponsored him to the 9th National Assembly, before the expiration of his tenure.

In a supporting affidavit that was deposed to by the 2nd Plaintiff, Akuyam, he told the court that there was no crisis or division in the PDP, the political platform through which Dogara was elected as a serving member of the National Assembly in the last general election.

He further told the court that there were no mergers or internal crisis in the PDP to justify Dogara’s action. jamb results