A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, has 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 judgment, Justice Donatus Okorowo, declared that having defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which gave him the platform to contest in the election of 2019 and he won, 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.
Dogara was said to have 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.
Unhappy with his decision, the PDP and its Bauchi State Chairman, Hamza Akuyam, through their team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, approached the court to him removed from office.
The judge however aligned with the agitations of the PDP and added 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 judge while giving his verdict said “The judgment is, therefore, given in favour of the plaintiffs. I hereby grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs”.
