Ayade Confident Court Will Not Sack Him Like Umahi

There are fears that the Cross River State governor, Mr Ben Ayade, may also be sacked by the Federal High Court Abuja, similar to the sacking of the Ebonyi State governor, Mr Dave Umahi by the court.

Umahi, who has appealed his removal for defecting to the All Progressives Congress from the People’s Democratic Party, also wants to contest the 2023 presidential election.

But an aide to the governor who spoke with THE WHISTLER on condition of anonymity, said Ayade is confident that he would not be sacked by the court.

The aide however, acknowledged that supporters of the governor are apprehensive after what has happened to the Ebonyi State governor.

He said “Following what happened in Ebonyi and the decision of the court on Monday sacking the 18 state lawmakers and two federal legislators, of course there are fears.

“But we are confident the court may rule in our favour but if it goes against us we will appeal like everyone is doing and wait for the appeal and possibly the decision of the supreme court.”

He added that, “Yes normally there will be fears by the person concern and his followers; yes people have expressed fears but we are confident.”

The ruling on Ayade has been fixed for Friday in Abuja in a judgement that will be delivered in the suit filed by PDP.

The PDP, through its counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 before Justice Taiwo Taiwo to seek an order sacking the governor and his deputy over their defection to the APC among others.

This is as 17 members of the Imo State House of Assembly, who also defected from various parties under which they were elected, are facing the sack in a suit No. FHC/Ow/27/2020 filed by their counsel to the PDP, Nath Epele and Co.

The plaintiffs are seeking the Federal High Court, Owerri to declare the seats of the defendants vacant by virtue of the fact that they defected from the party that elected them into another party.

Former Speaker, Collins Chiji, representing Isiala Mbano had left his former party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) under whose platform he got to the House and defected to PDP which won the 2019 governorship election in the state in order to grab the speakership.

Those who defected alongside Chiji, majority leader, Mr. Chigozie Nwaneri, Chyna Amara Iwuanyanwu (Nwangele LGA); Innocent Egwim (Ideato North LGA); Chidiebere Ogbunikpa (Okigwe LGA); Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre LGA); Paul Emeziem (Onuimo LGA); Ekene Nnodim (Orsu LGA); Duru Johnson (Ideato South LGA); Ngozi Obiefule (Isu) and Herculus Okoro (Ohaji-Egbema) and the minority leader, Ekene Nnodumele (APGA Orsu).
Others are Eddy Obinna (Aboh Mbaise), Samuel Otibe (Ahiazu Mbaise) and Uche Ogbagu (Ikeduru) all of PDP.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.