Judgement on Reps defections: Nigerians react

Forty -eight hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja stopped defecting lawmakers from changing the leadership of the House of Representatives, reactions continue to trail the decision.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola stopped short of ordering the lawmakers to vacate their seats, saying they had no business remaining in the lower legislative chambers since they left the party that brought them in.

Reacting to the judgment, the All Progressives Party (APC) in a  statement issued by the its  InterimNational Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Justice Ademola did not order the 37 members of the House of Representatives who defected to the APC to vacate their seats because he is not competent to do so.

The party stated that the presiding judge could not have issued such a ruling, as the issue of whether or not they can defect was not before him.

The APC hinted that it would appeal the ruling because Justice Ademola’s perpetual injunction restraining the concerned lawmakers from participating in motions and debates in the House was unconstitutional and defeats the very purpose for which the members were elected into the House.

It insisted that  Justice Ademola’s unsolicited comments were clearly gregarious, unnecessary, superfluous and had no foundation in law or fact, hence should be ignored.

APC urged  the Chief Justice of Nigeria to act urgently to sanction Justice Ademola for engaging in alleged mischief that could bring the bench into disrepute.

“If this case had been issued a day later than Monday, we would have said the Judge was caught in the web of ‘April Fool!’ Alas, he indeed made the ruling on Monday, hence the need for us to take it very seriously for several reasons.

“Firstly, the question whether the House of Representatives members should vacate their seats was not a question before Justice Ademola for determination. The only question for him to determine was whether the APC members, with their numerical strength at that time, had the right to change the House leadership such as the Majority Leader, Chief Whip and their deputies. So Justice Ademola had no business commenting on seats being vacated.

“Secondly, it is highly unprofessional and unethical for one judge to delve into a matter that is subjudice in another court. A judge should not make comments on matters being litigated in another court. The question of seats being vacated or otherwise, is being heard by Justice Ahmed Mohammed in the Federal High Court in Abuja, who on 29 March 2014, said the issue was still live before him and is not ripe for judgment,’’ the party stated.

But in his reaction, one of the elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezar Babatope, described it as a clear judgment that has brought hope to the nation’s democracy.

His words: “It is a correct judgment, not because it is given in the interest of the party I represent, but the truth is that Nigerian judges will always apply the facts of law to give judgments. I am very happy because it has brought hope to the nation’s democracy.”

Also, the National Secretary of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Chief Willy Ezugwu, described Justice Ademola’s decision as a fantastic judgment.

He said the ruling would stop political prostitution in the country and further move the nation’s democracy forward.

“It is a fantastic judgment and it will show the political prostitutes that you cannot eat your cake and have it. I pray that the Appeal and Supreme Courts would uphold the judgment”, he said.

Recall that in December last year, 37  members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of  PDP defected to the APC.

But in reaction to the defection, the PDP had filed a suit against the lawmakers and the House of Representatives.

All the principal officers of the House and all lawmakers that defected from the PDP to the APC were joined in the suit.