Breaking: Cross River Govt Goes On Appeal Over Lawmakers’ Sack, Makes Huge Demand
- Barely two weeks after the court sacked the governor of Ebonyi state, his deputy and 15 members of the House of Assembly, another court sacked 20 legislators of the Cross River State House of Assembly
- The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the removal of the lawmakers from office following their defection from the PDP to the APC
- The state government in reaction to this development has headed to the Court of Appeal, seeking a stay of execution against the judgement
The Cross River State government has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking a stay of execution against the judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja which sacked the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Eteng Williams, and 17 of his colleagues over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The special adviser on media and publicity to the state governor, Christian Ita, in a statement, noted that a motion on stay of execution has also been filed at the Federal, High Court.
He urged the lawmakers at the State House of Assembly and those at the National Assembly to go about their duties freely, Leadership reports.
Source: Facebook
Part of the statement reads:
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“This is to inform All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the National Assembly from Cross River State, members of the Cross River State House of Assembly and the general public that an appeal against the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja has been filed at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
“Also, a motion for a stay of execution of the Federal High Court has been filed. Both processes were filed by renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome.”
Court strikes out Umahi’s motion to stop execution of judgment
Meanwhile, another Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Monday, March 21, struck out the motion filed by sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi, seeking for a stay of execution of the March 8 judgment.
Justice Inyang Ekwo struck out the motion after Chukwuma Ma-Chukwu Ume, SAN, counsel for Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, prayed the court for the withdrawal of the motion, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, did not oppose the application.
The motion for stay of execution was marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/920/21, between PDP Vs. INEC and three others.
Anxiety as INEC reveals when it will act on court order sacking David Umahi as Ebonyi governor
In another development, INEC said it has not concluded deliberations on the court judgement that sacked David Umahi of Ebonyi state, his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, and 16 lawmakers.
The electoral body said it had not reached a conclusion on the subject as well as other legal matters filed recently.
Festus Okoye, INEC's spokesman, said the commission will deliberate on the matter next week after which the commission would make its decision public.
Source: Legit.ng
