COURT STRIKES DOWN ZAMFARA REP OVER DEFECTION TO APC
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–THE Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Rep. Abubakar Gummi, representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled that Gummi’s defection was unconstitutional and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to fill the vacant seat within 30 days.
The court also restrained the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, from recognizing Gummi as a member of the House. The PDP and its state chairman had filed the suit, arguing that Gummi’s defection was unconstitutional due to the absence of division within the PDP. Gummi cited internal party crisis as the reason for his defection.
Gummi said the crisis resulted into a state where he could no longer represent his constituents properly and ensure that they all benefit from shared distribution of the dividends of democracy within the bounds of law, and without undue interference from anyone or anything.
Delivering the judgment , Justice Egwuatu granted all the plaintiffs’ reliefs.
The judge condemned the attitude of some politicians who see defection as a normal culture.
“Before I take my fingers off the key board, let me just add, that politicians should respect the wishes of the electorates that elected them into office.
“A situation where the electorates have made their choices between different political parties and their candidates based on the manifestos and marketability of such a political party, it is legally and morally wrong for such a politician to abandon the party under which platform he or she was elected into office and move to a rival party without relinquishing the mandate of his or her former party.
“If a person must decamp, don’t decamp with the mandate of the electorates.
“Don’t transfer the votes garnered on the platform of one party to another party.
“A politician has no such rights to transfer votes of a political party to another political party.
“The law must punish such moves by taking away the benefits bestowed upon the decampee politician by the electorates.
“And that is what Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution has done.
“Political prostitution must not be rewarded.
“In total, I resolve all the issues in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants,” Justice Egwuatu said.
The judge, therefore, ordered that Gummi , having defected from PDP to APC “before the expiration of the period the house was elected, automatically loses his seat as member of the House of Representatives.
He made an order restraining Gummi from further receiving monies as salaries, allowances or howsoever called in his capacity as member representing the constituency.
He also made an order directing the lawmaker to refund to the Federal Government all monies collected as salaries, allowances or howsoever called as member representing the constituency from Oct. 30, 2024 to the date of judgment.
“An order is made directing that the evidence of the refund of all monies collected as salaries, allowances or howsoever called be filed in the registry of this court within 30 days of the judgment of this court,” he said.
Justice Egwuatu consequently awarded a fine of N500, 000 in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants.
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