2023:ADAMAWA ASSEMBLY FIGHTS DIRTY AS PDP LAWMAKERS DECLARE SEAT OF APC MEMBER VACANT FOR DEFECTING
From Emmanuel Samuel, Yola
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the
Adamawa State House of Assembly has on Wednesday declared the seat of the member representing Michika constituency, Hon. Joseph Ayuba vacant for defecting form the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
During Wednesday’s plenary presided by the speaker of the house Rt. Hon Aminu Iya Abbas, the house citing section 109 1(G) of the constitution declared the seat of the lawmaker vacant by virtue of leaving his party under whose crest he was elected.
Presenting the issue before the plenary attended by 13 out of the 25 members, the deputy speaker, Pwamwakeno Mackondo citing section 109 of the constitution urged the House to declare the seat of the lawmaker vacant.
Iya Abbas then requested Mackondo to present the section of the constitution after which he put a motion for the declaration of the member’s seat vacant.
After the motion was moved and seconded, the speaker declared the seat of the lawmaker vacant and asked the clerk to inform relevant authorities including INEC of the house decision.
In a quick reaction, the APC Adamawa State Chapter has completed arrangement to seek for Justice in the court of law.
This was disclosed in a Press Statement signed by Hon. Mohammed Abdullahi,
State Publicity Secretary, and made available to our correspondent.
“As a law abiding Political Party, we are aware that it’s only the court that has inherent powers to declare a seat vacant” adding
“Consequently, we have resolved to challenge the following actions of the speaker in a court of competent jurisdiction” the statement said.
“As a Party we therefore strongly condemn such clueless and selective justice in it’s entirety”.
According to the APC leadership,
the procedure followed in reconvening the house which has been on recess was faulty adding that the Speaker allowed his personal interest to interfere with official conduct, describing the action as injustice and partisanship in declaring Hon. Joseph Ayuba Kwada’s seat vacant.
The APC lamented that records have it that Hon. Musa Umar Bororo announced his defection to PDP from APC on the floor of the house, and the speaker warmly welcome him and saw no offence in his action, asking why that of Hon. Joseph Ayuba Kwada who for strategic reasons didn’t announce his defection on the floor of house but the speaker based on personal interest and that of the Adamawa State Governor hurriedly declared his seat vacant in a commando style.
It could be recalled that the Youths from Michka had earlier staged a peaceful protest against the removal of Hon. Ayuba Kwada.
