Court dismisses Ayade’s defection case

The federal high court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking the removal of Ben Ayade as Cross River governor.

Ayade who was elected on the platform of the PDP in 2015 and 2019, defected to the APC on May 20, 2021, along with his deputy.

He was dragged to court by the opposition party demanding that both defectors vacate office.

The PDP asked the court for “a declaration that in view of the provisions of section 221 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the democratic system of governance operated in Nigeria, votes at the election and elections are won by political parties and not their candidate or the candidates sponsored at the election by the political parties”.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held to his judgement that defection is not an offence in the Nigerian constitution.

He also referred back to David Umahi’s case that saw the Enugu court of appeal judge refuse to sack him as governor.